"Not sure what Professor Mirror thinks, but that’s a four-star photo if we’ve ever seen one."
Image: Nintendo / 2021

New Pokémon Snap has already proven itself to be the perfect mashup between a relaxing, comfy game and a true challenge. For those seeking to test their skills, each photo submitted to Professor Mirror will receive two ratings: a star ranking and a number score.

The number of stars received is based upon the pose of the Pokémon, or type of moment captured in the image. The numbered score - which also affects which types of stars you receive - is based upon your photo's quality. In order to fully complete New Pokémon Snap, you'll need to capture photos of each Pokémon at their one, two, three and four-star levels.

Vivillon photos at all four star levels
Image: Nintendo Life / 2021

Below, we'll tell you exactly how to improve your photography skills and snap up some scores you can be proud of.

Suggested Reading: Don't forget to check out our New Pokémon Snap walkthrough guide.

New Pokémon Snap Photo Ranking and Star Score Guide

How to Get Four Stars on Your Photos in New Pokémon Snap

First and foremost: capture photos of rare Pokémon behaviours and moments. Below are some examples:

  • Pokémon sitting (or sleeping) upon each other
  • Flying-type Pokémon picking other Pokémon up into the air
  • Water-type Pokémon spraying water on other Pokémon
  • Pokémon chasing each other
  • Pokémon dancing or playing together
  • Pretty much anything weird or adorable!

Nintendo's promotional video below shows some great examples of what these rare Pokémon behaviours and moments might look like:

Essentially, the more rare the moment is, the more stars it will be worth. While there's no clear order or list of moments and their rarity, you can pretty much assume that if it's a behaviour you haven't seen before it's something worth photographing.

Additionally, it appears that the higher-leveled maps tend to contain more rare moments and behaviours, so you may simply need to wait until you're able to explore other areas to find rarer behaviours.

Using Fluffruit is another way to easily net two or three stars in your photos. If you hit a Pokémon with a Fluffruit, and can quickly capture their ensuing "angry" face, that's almost always worth at least two stars. If you can gently toss them a Fluffruit to eat, a photo of them enjoying the treat will generally be worth up to three stars.

Essentially, any way you can interact and engage with the Pokémon you see will often help you capture new moments and behaviours. While touring different islands, try continuously throwing Fluffruits around, using Illumina Orbs to light up Pokémon at night, playing music, or running scans of the area.

If you’re looking to complete the game fully, you’ll need photos of Pokémon at each star level, from one to four, so don’t sweat it if the only picture you took of a Pokémon only has one star. You’ll get that money shot next time.

How to Get High Scores on Your Photos in New Pokémon Snap

The second part of your photos' rankings is the numbered score Professor Mirror gives each submitted photo. This number focuses more on the quality of the photo taken, with the below factors taken into consideration:

  • The subject Pokémon's pose
  • Ensuring the subject Pokémon is as close to the center of the photo as possible
  • Ensuring the subject Pokémon is as large as possible

Note that there are not general hard-and-fast rules with this score's criteria, either - it seems to be a bit finicky, and following the list above will not always guarantee high scores.

Again, the numerical score is tied to the types of stars you receive, as well:

  • Less than 2,500 points: Bronze stars
  • 2,500 - 3,500 points: Silver stars
  • 3,500 - 4,000 points: Gold stars
  • Over 4,000 points: Shiny Diamond stars

As more information comes to light, we'll keep you updated here - but for now, these are the general guidelines for taking high-ranking photos in New Pokémon Snap. The rest will depend upon your creativity and skills - so go get snapping!