Photo Scoring Guide: Star Meaning and How to Get a High Star Rating

This guide will explain how photo scores and the star rating system work in New Pokemon Snap (Pokemon Snap 2) for the Nintendo Switch. Learn what the star rating system means and how it affects your photo score, as well as how to get a high star rating and diamond stars!

How Star Rating is Calculated

Much like in the original Pokemon Snap for N64, your photos are graded by the professor following different criteria that deal with the composition of the photo. After awarding points in each criteria, Professor Mirror awards a certain color of stars, with Diamond Star photos being the best.

Below is an explanation for each of the criteria for taking photos.

Criteria	Explanation
Pose	Is the subject Pokemon exhibiting an unusual behavior in the photo?
Size	Does the subject Pokemon appear large in the photo?
Direction	Is the subject Pokemon facing the camera?
Placement	Is the subject Pokemon in the center of the frame?
Other Pokemon	Are there other Pokemon in the photo?

Photo Scores Are Divided By Star Rating

Each photo taken can be awarded anywhere from 1 to 4 stars. This star rating indicates how common or how rare a behavior is in one of your photos, and you'll need to get at least one photo of each star rating to complete your Photodex.

Through more interactions and discovering the various behaviors a Pokemon exhibits, you can work towards finding a one, two, three, and four star photo for a single Pokemon. Raise your Research Level to have more encounters with Pokemon and perhaps have them exhibit rarer behaviors.

How to Raise your Research Level Quickly

How to Get a High Star Rating

Aim for 4000+ Points!

The stars you receive when scoring photos will also be colored depending on how high-ranking the score is! The color ranges from Bronze, to Silver, then Gold, and Diamond. The higher score you get, the better rank your stars will have!

The table below shows the photo score you will need to reach to get the highest star ranking.

Photo Score Threshold
Less than 3000 points.	Bronze Stars
3001-3499 ponts.	Silver Stars
3500-3999 points.	Gold Stars
4000+ points	Diamond Stars

Keep in mind, higher photo scores does not higher star rating! Star ratings are rewarded solely based on how rare the Pokemon's behavior is, and you should aim to snap all four of them. It is possible to get a Gold or even Diamond star rating on a photo with only one or two stars.

Get Hints From Requests

Clearing the Illumina Spot of Florio Island unlocks LenTalk Requests. Your friends will send requests through LenTalk that contain hints for capturing rare Pokemon behavior.

Most of these requests require 4-star snaps and since you get higher photo score for taking a picture of poses with higher star rating, you can boost your Photodex score as well as complete your Photodex through LenTalk!

LenTalk Guide and List of Requests

Capture a Pokemon Striking a Pose

Take a photo of a Pokemon behaving differently than usual to get a high score on the Pose criteria and a higher star rating.

You can use the Scan Mode to locate Pokemon hiding in plain sight and check if they do something interesting. Some Pokemon even react to the Scan Mode's sound so try utilizing this function whenever you can!

How to Use Scan Mode

Zoom In!

If you find that a Pokemon is too far away, hold down the ZL or L button to zoom in and press A to take a photo! This lets you score high points in the size criteria. Though this sounds really useful, be careful not to zoom too much as it can cut parts of the Pokemon out in the picture!

Also, remember that taking a photo of a Pokemon while it's looking at the camera scores better on the Direction criteria and having the Pokemon closer to the center of the photo scores better on the Placement criteria!

Controls and Best Settings

Include Other Pokemon in the Photo

You can also include other Pokemon in the photo to increase your overall photo score. You will get higher score on the Other Pokemon criteria if you take a shot of the Pokemon together with other Pokemon of the same or different species.

Keep an eye out for a group of Pokemon gathering nearby and take a photo!

Lenthal Region Pokedex: List of All Pokemon

Throw Fluffruits

Throwing Fluffruits at a Pokemon shows varying effects. Hitting a Pokemon with a Fluffruit can wake them up, get their attention, or simply feed them.

You can also utilize this item by luring a Pokemon to a better position to get better photo scores (or even Diamond Stars) or discovering an entirely new behavior, giving you an opportunity to get a higher star rating.

Fluffruit Effects and How to Use

Use Illumina Orbs

Throwing an Illumina Orb directly at a Pokemon generates what's known as the Illumina Phenomenon. Pokemon in this state sometimes exhibit rare or unusual behaviors. Taking a photo of them lets you score higher photo scores overall.

You can also use Illumina Orbs to trigger events needed for LenTalk Requests such as Clawitzer enhancing his shots, Wurmple using Poison Sting, and many more! These kinds of shots make it easier to grab those Diamond Stars and get poses with the highest star rating.

Illumina Orb Effects and How to Use

New Pokemon Snap Related Guides

Tips and Tricks

New Pokemon Snap Tips and Tricks

Guides
How to Raise Your Research Level Quickly	How to Get a High Star Ranking
All Secrets and Easter Eggs	Post Game Contents and 100 Percent Guide
How to Use Auto Select Efficiently	How to Unlock Burst Mode
All Ancient Ruin Locations	All Crystabloom Locations
Hidden Paths Guide: All Branching Route Locations	How to Get Behind the Waterfall
How to Get 10 3-Star Photos in One Run	How to Get 10 4-Star Photos in One Run
All Research Spot Locations	How to Get a High Course Score
Unlockables
How to Unlock All Research Titles	How to Unlock All Profile Icons
How to Unlock All Stickers	How to Unlock All Filters
How to Unlock All Frames	List of Unlockables
FAQs
How Long is New Pokemon Snap?	Is New Pokemon Snap Multiplayer?
Amiibo Compatibility	Are There Shinies? Color Variation Guide
How to Change Your Name	How to Speed Up the Neo-One
How to Save	Evolutions Guide: How Do Evolutions Work?
What is in the Whirlpool in Maricopia Reef?	-
Online Play
How Does Online Play Work?	How to Get a High Ranking Online
How to Get Sweet! Medals	-
Mechanics and Game Controls
Controls and Best Settings	How to Print New Pokemon Snap Photos
Camera Guide: Camera Features and How to Use	Photo Editing Mode Guide
How to Change Your Language Settings	How to Use Re-Snap