Preparing Staff Photos
for ID Cards

From Prime ID — where clear design meets everyday practicality

A good ID card is more than a name on plastic. It’s part of your organisation’s first impression. Whether you’re ordering ten or a hundred, a well-designed badge adds trust and consistency to your team.

🖼️ 1. Keep it clear and readable

Prioritise the name and photo; they should be the main focus.
Use simple, easy-to-read fonts such as Lato, Open Sans or Arial and avoid fun or decorative fonts unless they genuinely fit the design (Tip - that's rare!)
Avoid clutter - leave plenty of white space.

🌈 2. Match your brand colours

Use one or two main brand colours with a neutral background.
Position your logo consistently, ideally left or right.
Make sure all text colour has strong contrast for easy readability.

🔤 3. Choose sensible text sizes

Name: bold and large enough to read at a glance.
Job title: slightly smaller, below the name.
Organisation name: Clear but secondary - not needed if already present in the logo.
Keep optional details (codes, ID numbers) small but legible.

➕ 4. Only include what matters

Job title or department.
Expiry date (if relevant).
QR code, DBS or ID number if your system uses one.
Avoid adding too much that squeezes your layout or makes text too small - remember space is limited.

📏 5. Align and balance

Keep elements aligned along invisible vertical lines.
Mirror spacing top-to-bottom and left-to-right.
When unsure, centre key details vertically.

💼 6. Choose the right orientation

Portrait works best for general-purpose employee or student ID cards with just photo and name.
Landscape suits ID cards requiring more information eg job titles, DBS codes, expiry dates.
Ideally use one orientation across your organisation for consistency.

💡 Final tip

Design for print, not just the screen. Colours often appear slightly darker once printed. The Prime ID studio always checks layouts for contrast and clarity before production and in some case may need to substitute if and when required (e.g. dark text on a dark coloured background).

📤 Next step

Ready to finalise your design? Email your logo and staff list to hello@primeid.uk or upload them with your order. Or, use our free design service and receive a design sample before ordering!

< Back to Guide 1 | 👉 Continue to Guide 3: Designing a Professional ID Badge

Guides

Preparing Staff Photos for ID Cards