--- title: "action images: how to pick and frame a photo people stop for" description: "What image size to use for your chilli action: a 16:10 landscape photo, at least 1600 px wide, JPG or PNG under 5MB. Then frame it right in the app." url: "https://creators.chilli.club/resources/action-images" category: "create actions" updated: "2026-10-16" reading_time: "2 min" --- # action images: how to pick and frame a photo people stop for > Pick a landscape photo at least 1600 px wide (JPG or PNG, 5MB max), with one clear subject in the middle and no text on it. Then frame it in the app's 16:10 frame and keep faces inside the safe zone. create actions · 2 min read · updated 2026-10-16 Your action image is the first thing people see, before your title and your ask. Here's what we recommend, and how to frame it in under a minute. ## the short answer - **16:10** landscape, the shape of the app's frame - **1600 px** wide, at least - **5MB** max, JPG or PNG The app frames every action image in 16:10. A photo 1600 px wide stays sharp on big screens, even after you zoom in a little. ## what makes a great action image The app's own advice says it best: "a face, a place, an animal. skip logos and charts." - **one clear subject, in the middle.** A face, the forest, the whale. The middle of your photo is the part that shows on every screen. - **your own photo, if you have one.** A shot from the ground tells people this is real. No photo? Search Unsplash from inside the app. - **no text in the image.** On the feed card, your title, counts and button sit at the bottom over a dark gradient. On a phone, the action page has a dark band at the top, behind the buttons. Text baked into the photo ends up hidden or fighting with them. ## frame it in the app 1. **Tap add an image** at the top of the editor, in "start with the story". Pick a photo from Unsplash, or tap **upload an image** (5MB max). On a computer, you can also drag and drop it. 2. **"frame your image" opens.** Drag to move. Pinch to zoom on a phone, scroll on a computer, or use the **−** and **+** buttons. **reset** puts it back in the middle. Zoom in too far on a small photo and the app warns you: "this crop is small: it may look blurry on large screens. zoom out or pick a bigger image." It won't stop you, but zoom out or pick a bigger photo. 3. **Keep faces inside the safe zone**, the outlined box in the middle of the frame. As the app puts it: "keep faces and text inside the safe zone: it shows everywhere." 4. **Check "how it looks".** Two live previews, **feed card** and **action page**, follow every move. Tap one to see its crop on the frame. 5. **Tap use this image.** On a draft, it saves right away. On a live action, tap **save** to publish the change. *app screenshot: the frame your image screen: a coral reef photo in the 16:10 frame with the safe zone outlined in the middle, then how it looks with feed card and action page previews, and a use this image button (frame your image: the safe zone, then the feed card and action page previews)* Changed your mind? Tap **adjust framing** on the image in the editor. We keep your original photo, so you can reframe it anytime without picking it again. Picked your image from Unsplash before the framing editor existed? Tap **edit image** and pick it again, and you can frame it from then on. ## from the chilli team When the chilli team prepared your action and it has no photo yet, the review ends on **choose a photo**: the photo is always your call. More in [review what the chilli team prepared for you](https://creators.chilli.club/resources/review-what-chilli-prepared.md). ## your next move Image sorted. Now give it a title people act on: [the CTA formula: how to write an action title people can't ignore](https://creators.chilli.club/resources/cta-formula.md). Then make it travel: [make it shareable: turn your supporters into recruiters](https://creators.chilli.club/resources/make-it-shareable.md). ## see it in action - [How chilli helped ocean creators unite to make Antarctic krill impossible to ignore](https://creators.chilli.club/antarctic-krills.md): Your audience doesn’t have to act alone. See how chilli helped eight creators unite their communities and take 3K actions against the krill industry. - [How EarthlyEducation used chilli to help stop bulldozers inside Big Bend](https://creators.chilli.club/stop-big-bend-national-park.md): Give your followers a direct way to influence decision-makers. See how EarthlyEducation used chilli to mobilize 2K emails and 65 calls to Congress for Big Bend. ## keep going - [how to create your first action on chilli, step by step](https://creators.chilli.club/resources/create-your-first-action.md): Tap + (or create on a computer), tell the story (image, title, intro, why it matters), add at least one way to help, and publish. Fifteen minutes, tops, and your supporters get notified. - [make it shareable: turn your supporters into recruiters](https://creators.chilli.club/resources/make-it-shareable.md): Your reach stops at your followers. Your supporters' reach doesn't. Give them something worth sharing and a reason to do it, and every action brings in the next wave. - [the CTA formula: how to write an action title people can't ignore](https://creators.chilli.club/resources/cta-formula.md): Action verb + named target + specific ask + urgency signal. If your title doesn't hit at least three of the four, rewrite it. - [share your action: captions, stories and reels that get people moving](https://creators.chilli.club/resources/share-your-action.md): You don't need a new audience. You need a shorter bridge between the post your followers already watch and the action they can take in 30 seconds. ## along the path - previous guide: [the CTA formula: how to write an action title people can't ignore](https://creators.chilli.club/resources/cta-formula.md): Action verb + named target + specific ask + urgency signal. If your title doesn't hit at least three of the four, rewrite it. - next guide: [pressure points: how to pick the right target for your campaign](https://creators.chilli.club/resources/pressure-points-pick-your-target.md): Every problem has people who can fix it and people who fund, insure or cover it. Name them, pick the pressure angle each one feels, and hit them where they already listen. ## next step Book a free call with the chilli team. We’ll shape your first action with you, from the story to the ways to help, and get it live: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ01g8S_PtdUlvXCTxD-pS1u4XmLdcBskzOKdjdrlPeX2aVrQ20e76YifYlNHXzow4KG4xIS0Vsl