diff --git a/EmployeePhotoFaceProcessor.cs b/EmployeePhotoFaceProcessor.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e586bca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/EmployeePhotoFaceProcessor.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,416 @@
+using System;
+using System.Drawing;
+using System.Drawing.Drawing2D;
+using System.Drawing.Imaging;
+using System.IO;
+using System.Linq;
+using Accord.Vision.Detection;
+using Accord.Vision.Detection.Cascades;
+
+namespace HikvisionAttendanceService;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Prepares HRMS portal photos for Hikvision FaceDataRecord: detect face → crop with margin →
+/// normalize size → brightness/contrast/sharpness → JPEG.
+/// Used by the initial department sync only; DB↔device template flows never call this.
+/// </summary>
+internal static class EmployeePhotoFaceProcessor
+{
+    private const int DetectionMaxSide = 900;
+
+    /// <summary>Hikvision's recommended enrollment picture is 480x640.</summary>
+    private const int OutputTargetWidth = 480;
+
+    private const int OutputMinWidth = 240;
+
+    /// <summary>Upscale limit so a small source photo is not blown up into a blurry frame.</summary>
+    private const double MaxUpscale = 2.5;
+
+    private const int MaxJpegBytes = 200 * 1024;
+
+    /// <summary>Face box is widened to this multiple of its width; keeps chin/hair/shoulders in frame.</summary>
+    private const double CropWidthFactor = 2.0;
+
+    /// <summary>Portrait aspect (width:height) Hikvision enrollment photos are normalized to.</summary>
+    private const double CropAspect = 3.0 / 4.0;
+
+    /// <summary>Vertical placement of the face centre inside the crop (headroom above, shoulders below).</summary>
+    private const double FaceCentreOffset = 0.45;
+
+    private const double SharpenAmount = 0.6;
+
+    internal enum PhotoStatus
+    {
+        Ok,
+        NoFace,
+        Error
+    }
+
+    internal sealed class PhotoResult
+    {
+        public PhotoStatus Status { get; set; } = PhotoStatus.Error;
+        public byte[] JpegBytes { get; set; } = Array.Empty<byte>();
+        public Size Original { get; set; }
+        public Size Face { get; set; }
+        public Size Processed { get; set; }
+        public int JpegQuality { get; set; }
+        public string Enhancement { get; set; } = "";
+        public string Error { get; set; } = "";
+
+        public string Describe() =>
+            "original=" + Original.Width + "x" + Original.Height +
+            " face=" + (Face.Width > 0 ? Face.Width + "x" + Face.Height : "none") +
+            " processed=" + (Processed.Width > 0 ? Processed.Width + "x" + Processed.Height : "none") +
+            " jpegBytes=" + JpegBytes.Length;
+    }
+
+    private static readonly object DetectorLock = new object();
+    private static HaarObjectDetector? _detector;
+    private static ImageCodecInfo? _jpegCodec;
+
+    public static PhotoResult Process(byte[] sourceBytes)
+    {
+        var result = new PhotoResult();
+        if (sourceBytes == null || sourceBytes.Length == 0)
+        {
+            result.Error = "empty_photo";
+            return result;
+        }
+
+        try
+        {
+            using var source = LoadAsRgb24(sourceBytes);
+            result.Original = source.Size;
+
+            var face = DetectLargestFace(source);
+            if (face.Width <= 0 || face.Height <= 0)
+            {
+                result.Status = PhotoStatus.NoFace;
+                return result;
+            }
+
+            result.Face = new Size(face.Width, face.Height);
+
+            var crop = BuildCropRect(face, source.Size);
+            using var processed = CropAndResize(source, crop);
+            result.Enhancement = Enhance(processed);
+            result.Processed = processed.Size;
+
+            result.JpegBytes = EncodeJpegWithinLimit(processed, out var quality);
+            result.JpegQuality = quality;
+            if (result.JpegBytes.Length == 0)
+            {
+                result.Error = "jpeg_encode_failed";
+                return result;
+            }
+
+            result.Status = PhotoStatus.Ok;
+            return result;
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            result.Status = PhotoStatus.Error;
+            result.Error = ex.Message;
+            return result;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static Bitmap LoadAsRgb24(byte[] bytes)
+    {
+        using var ms = new MemoryStream(bytes, writable: false);
+        using var decoded = Image.FromStream(ms, useEmbeddedColorManagement: false, validateImageData: false);
+        var rgb = new Bitmap(decoded.Width, decoded.Height, PixelFormat.Format24bppRgb);
+        rgb.SetResolution(96f, 96f);
+        using (var g = Graphics.FromImage(rgb))
+        {
+            g.CompositingMode = CompositingMode.SourceCopy;
+            g.InterpolationMode = InterpolationMode.HighQualityBicubic;
+            g.PixelOffsetMode = PixelOffsetMode.HighQuality;
+            g.DrawImage(decoded, new Rectangle(0, 0, rgb.Width, rgb.Height));
+        }
+
+        return rgb;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>Returns the largest detected face in <paramref name="source"/> coordinates, or empty.</summary>
+    private static Rectangle DetectLargestFace(Bitmap source)
+    {
+        var scale = 1.0;
+        var longest = Math.Max(source.Width, source.Height);
+        Bitmap? scaled = null;
+        try
+        {
+            var frame = source;
+            if (longest > DetectionMaxSide)
+            {
+                scale = (double)DetectionMaxSide / longest;
+                var w = Math.Max(1, (int)Math.Round(source.Width * scale));
+                var h = Math.Max(1, (int)Math.Round(source.Height * scale));
+                scaled = new Bitmap(w, h, PixelFormat.Format24bppRgb);
+                using (var g = Graphics.FromImage(scaled))
+                {
+                    g.InterpolationMode = InterpolationMode.HighQualityBicubic;
+                    g.PixelOffsetMode = PixelOffsetMode.HighQuality;
+                    g.DrawImage(source, new Rectangle(0, 0, w, h));
+                }
+
+                frame = scaled;
+            }
+
+            var minSide = Math.Min(frame.Width, frame.Height);
+            var best = Rectangle.Empty;
+
+            // First pass favours large, well-framed portraits; second pass is a lenient fallback.
+            foreach (var pass in new[]
+                     {
+                         new { Min = Math.Max(48, minSide / 8), Factor = 1.2f },
+                         new { Min = 24, Factor = 1.1f }
+                     })
+            {
+                var found = RunDetector(frame, pass.Min, pass.Factor);
+                if (found.Length == 0)
+                    continue;
+
+                best = found.OrderByDescending(r => (long)r.Width * r.Height).First();
+                break;
+            }
+
+            if (best.Width <= 0)
+                return Rectangle.Empty;
+
+            if (scale >= 1.0)
+                return best;
+
+            return new Rectangle(
+                (int)Math.Round(best.X / scale),
+                (int)Math.Round(best.Y / scale),
+                (int)Math.Round(best.Width / scale),
+                (int)Math.Round(best.Height / scale));
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            scaled?.Dispose();
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static Rectangle[] RunDetector(Bitmap frame, int minSize, float scaleFactor)
+    {
+        lock (DetectorLock)
+        {
+            _detector ??= new HaarObjectDetector(new FaceHaarCascade());
+            _detector.SearchMode = ObjectDetectorSearchMode.NoOverlap;
+            _detector.ScalingMode = ObjectDetectorScalingMode.GreaterToSmaller;
+            _detector.ScalingFactor = scaleFactor;
+            _detector.MinSize = new Size(minSize, minSize);
+            _detector.MaxSize = new Size(frame.Width, frame.Height);
+            return _detector.ProcessFrame(frame) ?? Array.Empty<Rectangle>();
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static Rectangle BuildCropRect(Rectangle face, Size image)
+    {
+        var centreX = face.X + face.Width / 2.0;
+        var centreY = face.Y + face.Height / 2.0;
+
+        var cropW = face.Width * CropWidthFactor;
+        var cropH = cropW / CropAspect;
+
+        var fit = Math.Min(1.0, Math.Min(image.Width / cropW, image.Height / cropH));
+        cropW *= fit;
+        cropH *= fit;
+
+        var left = centreX - cropW / 2.0;
+        var top = centreY - cropH * FaceCentreOffset;
+
+        left = Math.Max(0, Math.Min(left, image.Width - cropW));
+        top = Math.Max(0, Math.Min(top, image.Height - cropH));
+
+        var rect = new Rectangle(
+            (int)Math.Round(left),
+            (int)Math.Round(top),
+            Math.Max(1, (int)Math.Round(cropW)),
+            Math.Max(1, (int)Math.Round(cropH)));
+
+        rect.Width = Math.Min(rect.Width, image.Width - rect.X);
+        rect.Height = Math.Min(rect.Height, image.Height - rect.Y);
+        return rect;
+    }
+
+    private static Bitmap CropAndResize(Bitmap source, Rectangle crop)
+    {
+        var upscaleCap = (int)Math.Round(crop.Width * MaxUpscale);
+        var outW = Math.Min(OutputTargetWidth, Math.Max(OutputMinWidth, upscaleCap));
+        outW -= outW % 4;
+        var outH = (int)Math.Round(outW / CropAspect);
+        outH -= outH % 4;
+
+        var target = new Bitmap(outW, outH, PixelFormat.Format24bppRgb);
+        target.SetResolution(96f, 96f);
+        using (var g = Graphics.FromImage(target))
+        {
+            g.CompositingMode = CompositingMode.SourceCopy;
+            g.InterpolationMode = InterpolationMode.HighQualityBicubic;
+            g.PixelOffsetMode = PixelOffsetMode.HighQuality;
+            g.SmoothingMode = SmoothingMode.HighQuality;
+            g.DrawImage(source, new Rectangle(0, 0, outW, outH), crop, GraphicsUnit.Pixel);
+        }
+
+        return target;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>Percentile contrast stretch + gamma toward mid brightness + unsharp mask.</summary>
+    private static string Enhance(Bitmap bmp)
+    {
+        var rect = new Rectangle(0, 0, bmp.Width, bmp.Height);
+        var data = bmp.LockBits(rect, ImageLockMode.ReadWrite, PixelFormat.Format24bppRgb);
+        try
+        {
+            var stride = data.Stride;
+            var buffer = new byte[stride * bmp.Height];
+            System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.Copy(data.Scan0, buffer, 0, buffer.Length);
+
+            var note = ApplyToneCurve(buffer, stride, bmp.Width, bmp.Height);
+            ApplyUnsharpMask(buffer, stride, bmp.Width, bmp.Height);
+
+            System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.Copy(buffer, 0, data.Scan0, buffer.Length);
+            return note + " sharpen=" + SharpenAmount.ToString("0.00");
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            bmp.UnlockBits(data);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static string ApplyToneCurve(byte[] buffer, int stride, int width, int height)
+    {
+        var hist = new int[256];
+        for (int y = 0; y < height; y++)
+        {
+            var row = y * stride;
+            for (int x = 0; x < width; x++)
+            {
+                var i = row + x * 3;
+                var luma = (buffer[i + 2] * 77 + buffer[i + 1] * 151 + buffer[i] * 28) >> 8;
+                hist[luma]++;
+            }
+        }
+
+        long total = (long)width * height;
+        var lo = Percentile(hist, total, 0.02);
+        var hi = Percentile(hist, total, 0.98);
+
+        double gain = 1.0;
+        if (hi - lo >= 8 && hi - lo < 230)
+            gain = Math.Min(2.2, 245.0 / (hi - lo));
+
+        var stretch = new byte[256];
+        for (int v = 0; v < 256; v++)
+            stretch[v] = ClampByte((v - lo) * gain + 5.0);
+
+        double sum = 0;
+        for (int v = 0; v < 256; v++)
+            sum += (double)hist[v] * stretch[v];
+        var mean = total > 0 ? sum / total : 128.0;
+
+        double gamma = 1.0;
+        if (mean > 4 && mean < 250)
+        {
+            gamma = Math.Log(128.0 / 255.0) / Math.Log(mean / 255.0);
+            gamma = Math.Max(0.65, Math.Min(1.4, gamma));
+        }
+
+        var lut = new byte[256];
+        for (int v = 0; v < 256; v++)
+        {
+            var stretched = stretch[v] / 255.0;
+            lut[v] = ClampByte(Math.Pow(stretched, gamma) * 255.0);
+        }
+
+        for (int y = 0; y < height; y++)
+        {
+            var row = y * stride;
+            for (int x = 0; x < width; x++)
+            {
+                var i = row + x * 3;
+                buffer[i] = lut[buffer[i]];
+                buffer[i + 1] = lut[buffer[i + 1]];
+                buffer[i + 2] = lut[buffer[i + 2]];
+            }
+        }
+
+        return "lo=" + lo + " hi=" + hi + " gain=" + gain.ToString("0.00") +
+               " mean=" + mean.ToString("0") + " gamma=" + gamma.ToString("0.00");
+    }
+
+    private static void ApplyUnsharpMask(byte[] buffer, int stride, int width, int height)
+    {
+        if (width < 3 || height < 3)
+            return;
+
+        var source = (byte[])buffer.Clone();
+        for (int y = 1; y < height - 1; y++)
+        {
+            var row = y * stride;
+            var prev = row - stride;
+            var next = row + stride;
+            for (int x = 1; x < width - 1; x++)
+            {
+                var col = x * 3;
+                for (int c = 0; c < 3; c++)
+                {
+                    var i = row + col + c;
+                    var blur =
+                        source[prev + col - 3 + c] + 2 * source[prev + col + c] + source[prev + col + 3 + c] +
+                        2 * source[row + col - 3 + c] + 4 * source[i] + 2 * source[row + col + 3 + c] +
+                        source[next + col - 3 + c] + 2 * source[next + col + c] + source[next + col + 3 + c];
+                    var blurred = blur / 16.0;
+                    buffer[i] = ClampByte(source[i] + SharpenAmount * (source[i] - blurred));
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static int Percentile(int[] hist, long total, double fraction)
+    {
+        if (total <= 0)
+            return 0;
+
+        var threshold = (long)(total * fraction);
+        long running = 0;
+        for (int v = 0; v < hist.Length; v++)
+        {
+            running += hist[v];
+            if (running >= threshold)
+                return v;
+        }
+
+        return 255;
+    }
+
+    private static byte ClampByte(double value) =>
+        value <= 0 ? (byte)0 : value >= 255 ? (byte)255 : (byte)(value + 0.5);
+
+    private static byte[] EncodeJpegWithinLimit(Bitmap bmp, out int quality)
+    {
+        quality = 0;
+        var codec = _jpegCodec ??= ImageCodecInfo.GetImageEncoders()
+            .FirstOrDefault(c => string.Equals(c.MimeType, "image/jpeg", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase));
+        if (codec == null)
+            return Array.Empty<byte>();
+
+        var bytes = Array.Empty<byte>();
+        foreach (var q in new[] { 92, 85, 75, 65, 55 })
+        {
+            using var parameters = new EncoderParameters(1);
+            parameters.Param[0] = new EncoderParameter(Encoder.Quality, (long)q);
+            using var ms = new MemoryStream();
+            bmp.Save(ms, codec, parameters);
+            bytes = ms.ToArray();
+            quality = q;
+            if (bytes.Length <= MaxJpegBytes)
+                break;
+        }
+
+        return bytes;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/HikvisionAttendanceService.csproj b/HikvisionAttendanceService.csproj
index 1d11aa3..66c567a 100644
--- a/HikvisionAttendanceService.csproj
+++ b/HikvisionAttendanceService.csproj
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@
     <PackageReference Include="MySql.Data">
       <Version>9.6.0</Version>
     </PackageReference>
+    <!-- Managed Haar face detection for InitialDepartmentSync photo pre-processing -->
+    <PackageReference Include="Accord.Vision">
+      <Version>3.8.0</Version>
+    </PackageReference>
   </ItemGroup>
 
 </Project>