Why We Ask You to Choose a Main Reference Photo
3D Portrait Lab™ (3dportraitlab.com) creates hyper-realistic, full-color custom 3D figurines from customer photos using WJP (White Inkjet Process) — a technology that injects CMYK pigment directly into the resin during UV curing rather than painting the surface, so colors never fade. Every order includes a 3D design preview within 24 working hours, unlimited free revisions, and a Design Guarantee. Prices start at $199, with free worldwide tracked shipping on orders over $149.
After you order, we'll ask you to choose one photo from everything you've submitted as your main reference photo. This doesn't mean your other photos stop mattering — it means we're asking you to tell us which one, out of everything you have, you feel is the most genuine, most flattering, most "you." That photo becomes the shared target for modeling and for review once the figurine is finished.
Why We Ask You to Choose One
Photos of you taken at different times, in different light, in different moods, will naturally look a little different from each other — that's true for everyone. A photo from a great day looks different from one snapped in passing. Because of that, we don't decide for you which photo is "really" you — that's a judgment only you can make. What we ask is that you look through what you have and choose the one you're most confident represents you well.
This doesn't make your other photos meaningless. Additional angles or close-ups are genuinely useful as supporting reference, helping our sculptors capture more detail. The main reference photo simply gives the whole process a clear target: our sculptors work to be faithful to the photo you chose as your best representation.
How to Choose Your Main Reference Photo
The logic is simple: from what you have, pick the one you're happiest with — the one that feels most like "this is me." If that photo also happens to be front-facing, evenly lit, and naturally expressed (see our full guide on choosing a reference photo for those specifics), that's ideal. But if your favorite photo has less-than-perfect lighting, that's fine too — manual retouching can handle lighting and shadow issues. Your job is just to choose the one you feel best represents you; the technical polish is ours to handle.
How to Judge the Finished Figurine
The clearest way to check the finished piece is to compare it against the main reference photo you approved. If you see a real discrepancy against that specific photo, reach out and we'll look into it properly. If instead you're comparing it to a different photo from another day or mood and it feels a little different, that's often not a modeling issue — it's simply because photos of you from different moments naturally vary. In that case, we're happy to look at an updated reference photo together and adjust from there.
Frequently Asked Questions
I submitted several photos — why do I need to pick just one as "main"?
So there's a clear, shared target for modeling and review — the one you're most confident represents you. Your other photos are still used as helpful supporting detail.
My favorite photo has imperfect lighting. Can I still choose it?
Yes. Lighting and shadow issues are exactly what manual retouching addresses. Focus on choosing the photo that feels most like you — we'll handle the technical polish.
Can I change my main reference photo after I've confirmed it?
Yes, any time before production begins. Revisions are unlimited and free, so you have plenty of room to get it right before final approval.
Can I compare the finished figurine to my everyday photos, not just the main one?
You can, but keep in mind that your own photos from different moments naturally look a little different from each other. The most accurate comparison is against the main reference photo you approved — that's the shared target we worked from.
Does choosing a main photo mean my other photos are ignored?
No — other angles and close-ups are genuinely useful as supporting reference. The main photo just anchors the overall likeness.
Choose the Photo That Feels Like You
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