Source photo guide

A useful bonsai photo records evidence, not atmosphere

The source image is the contract between the real tree and every visual concept. If the camera hides the base, compresses movement or merges branches into the background, the result must guess. Better input does not guarantee horticultural truth, but it makes structural comparison far more honest.

Read the source. Compare the direction. Keep the limits visible.

Every guide is designed to return the decision to the real tree rather than a generic finished silhouette.

What matters most

  • Place the camera near trunk height rather than looking down from above.
  • Show the root base, complete trunk and primary branches against a quiet background.
  • Use a level front view for comparison and keep other angles for direct discussion.

Choose a working front

Rotate the tree in person and look for a view that shows the base, trunk movement, taper and important branches with the least overlap. The current pot front is not automatically the best design front.

Use the selected front for consistent comparisons. Save side and rear images separately; do not combine multiple angles into one source image because that creates contradictory structure.

Set height, distance and framing

Place the lens near the middle of the visible trunk or slightly above the root base so vertical relationships remain natural. Step back and zoom moderately rather than using a very wide lens close to the tree.

Include the entire tree, root base and enough surrounding space for a future silhouette. Avoid cropping the apex, cascade line or low branches that may influence style selection.

Make structure separate from the background

Use soft, even light and a quiet background with contrast from both foliage and trunk. Remove visual clutter behind branches, but do not edit away real structure or scars.

Check the image at thumbnail size. If important branches merge into the wall, pot or one another, adjust the tree, camera or background before uploading.

Run a source-quality check

Confirm the file is JPEG, PNG or WebP, under the upload limit and at least 768 pixels on its longest side. Inspect focus around the trunk and primary junctions rather than only the foliage tips.

Before accepting a result, return to the source and trace every important line. If the image did not show the evidence, the concept cannot prove it exists.

Questions people ask

Can I use a phone photo?

Yes. A modern phone is sufficient when the image is level, well lit, in focus and far enough away to avoid wide-angle distortion.

Should I remove the background first?

A quiet contrasting background helps, but do not alter or erase real tree structure. Bonsivo accepts the complete source photograph.

Continue the decision

Beginner styling decisions

Your first styling skill is learning what not to assume

A beginner-friendly guide to reading trunk movement, choosing between credible bonsai styles, using visual previews responsibly and knowing which pruning, wiring and health decisions require experienced help.

Read this guide

Style decision framework

Choose the style that explains the most real structure

Choose a bonsai style by matching real trunk movement, taper, branch placement, visual weight and negative space to a credible direction instead of copying a finished-tree silhouette.

Read this guide

Method and limitations

A styling concept is useful only when its reasoning stays inspectable

Learn how Bonsivo treats the source photograph as a structural contract, varies four concepts within a selected style, evaluates continuity and discloses the limits of visual generation before real bonsai work.

Read this guide

Bonsai styles and shapes

Bonsai styles should begin with the tree, not the label

Compare six classic bonsai styling directions, learn how trunk line, taper, branch placement and negative space affect the choice, and explore which direction fits the real tree you already have.

Read this guide

Use the real source

Use the photo while the structure is clear

Upload the front-facing image and compare four concepts anchored to what the camera can actually see.

Preview my tree