# Preparing images
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 The images in your training and test dataset contain the objects, scenes, or concepts that you want your model to find. 

The content of images should be in a variety of backgrounds and lighting that represent the images that you want the trained model to identify.

This section provides information about the images in your training and test dataset.

## Image format
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You can train Amazon Rekognition Custom Labels models with images that are in PNG and in JPEG format. Similarly, to detect custom labels using `DetectCustomLabels`, you need images that are in PNG and JPEG format.

## Input image recommendations
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Amazon Rekognition Custom Labels requires images to train and test your model. To prepare your images, consider following:
+ Choose a specific domain for the model you want to create. For example, you could choose a model for scenic views and another model for objects such as machine parts. Amazon Rekognition Custom Labels works best if your images are in the chosen domain.
+ Use at least 10 images to train your model.
+ Images must be in PNG or JPEG format.
+ Use images that show the object in a variety of lightings, backgrounds, and resolutions.
+ Training and testing images should be similar to the images that you want to use the model with. 
+ Decide what labels to assign to the images.
+ Ensure that images are sufficiently large in terms of resolution. For more information, see [Guidelines and quotas in Amazon Rekognition Custom Labels](limits.md).
+ Ensure that occlusions don't obscure objects that you want to detect.
+ Use images that have sufficient contrast with the background. 
+ Use images that are bright and sharp. Avoid using images that may be blurry due to subject and camera motion as much as possible.
+ Use an image where the object occupies a large proportion of the image.
+ Images in your test dataset shouldn't be images that are in the training dataset. They should include the objects, scenes, and concepts that the model is trained to analyze.

## Image set size
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Amazon Rekognition Custom Labels uses a set of images to train a model. At a minimum, you should use at least 10 images for training. Amazon Rekognition Custom Labels stores training and testing images in datasets. For more information, see [Creating training and test datasets with images](md-create-dataset.md).