If your engraved photos come out muddy, dark or blurry, do not blame the laser - blame the prep. A photo straight from your phone is not ready to engrave.
Step 1 - Fix contrast first
Engraving is essentially light and dark. Boost contrast so the subject separates from the background, and darken or remove distracting backgrounds entirely.
Step 2 - Choose dithering or grayscale
Dithering (patterns of dots) suits photos and organic images; grayscale suits smooth gradients on materials that reproduce shading well. The wrong choice is the #1 cause of a washed-out engrave. A prep tool like EngravePrep lets you preview both.
Step 3 - Match the material
Wood species, coated metal, slate and leather all respond differently. Lighter woods show more contrast; busy grain fights fine detail. Always test on scrap of the same material.
Step 4 - Set resolution sensibly
More DPI is not always better - too high can overburn and blur. Match resolution to material and laser spot size, and test.
FAQ
Why is my engrave too dark? Usually too much power or a grayscale image on a material that needs dithering. Lower power and test dithering.
Best wood for photo engraving? Light, even-grained woods like maple, basswood and birch give the cleanest contrast.
Prep any photo for a crisp engrave. EngravePrep is free.
Related reading: Dithering vs grayscale for laser engraving · Multilayer laser art from one image.