Month: May 2018

United Kingdom passport photo requirements are clear in needing crisp, non-blurry passport photos for babies. Here are some tips on meeting the UK passport photo requirements when applying for a baby passport.

Getting the photo correct

To receive the first passport for your baby, you must submit two identical photos, 45mm high by 35mm wide. There can be no other people or objects in the photo and the photo submitted cannot be a cropped version of a larger photo. The point is to show the baby on the passport in an identifiable way. Make sure both eyes are open and both ears are visible.

Show off your baby’s features

It is important that your baby’s face and neck be in the passport photo, and that these take up most of the space of the photo without going outside the edges. Get the whole head, face and both eyes and both ears in the photo while the baby looks as straight on as possible.

If you can get baby’s neck and shoulders, that is helpful. Make sure any birthmarks, moles, beauty marks, scars or other identifying features in those areas of the body are visible in the photo as well.

Remove all distractions

Use a plain, white or off-white background and focus only on the baby’s face. Using a white sheet, blanket, or a projector canvas are all great for the background. Make sure no toys, hats or books are in the photo to distract, and that the background does not have patterns or colors.

Also make sure the baby’s facial expression itself is not a distraction: The winning photo will appear as neutral in expression as possible. Photos with crying, smiling, laughter or other emotion will most likely be rejected for the baby’s passport photo.

Check the lighting

Have your baby facing the lighting source while not shining it in his or her eyes. Daylight is preferred. A common mistake is when there are shadows running over the baby’s face or in the background. Another common mistake is to have red eye in the photo, which will likely be rejected as well.

Once you have a set of photos that fit the specifications, Paspic.com will help you print them perfectly for UK passport photo submission!

Since many babies rarely remain still enough for a photo shoot – except when they’re asleep – parents and guardians often find it difficult to take passport photos for babies. Any type of wriggling and squirming when a baby’s bored or excited or flailing when they’re crying or angry can ruin photos that need to be as clear and blurry-free as possible. Government passport regulations compound these difficulties.

To take the perfect passport picture of your baby, keep these professional tips in mind:

Make the background nondescript

Most governments don’t accept passport photos that have anything in the background that distracts from a baby’s physical features. Make certain that your baby rests on a white or off-white blanket, sheet or another piece of linen without anything else in the background like toys, wall decorations or patterned wallpaper.

Choose the right clothing

The idea again is to focus on your baby’s features and normal appearance. Choose the style of clothing that you normally put on your baby. So that an outfit doesn’t cause any distractions or cover up identifying features on the face or neck like moles and other birthmarks or scars, select a collarless outfit in a solid, dark color. Don’t use any hats or scarves.

Watch the body positioning

Beyond identifying marks, always include both of your baby’s eyes and ears, the chin and the neck, if possible, in the photo. Some countries accept photos of infants that have their eyes closed shut, but it’s a far wiser decision to try to get a photo with the eyes open for identification purposes. Also, your baby’s hair shouldn’t fall across their forehead or face at all and their hands should be kept out of all shots.

Keep lighting in mind

Any type of shadow in the photo can disqualify it. Make certain that the background material doesn’t have creases or folds that create shadows. To try to get the best positioning and lighting, prop your baby up in their car seat on a white background blanket or sheet. If that doesn’t work, carefully prop your baby’s head up by placing folded towels around their head under the background blanket or sheet so that you don’t have to lean over them as much casting shadows. Whenever your baby moves around a lot, wait to take additional shots since these actions can cause shadows and photo blur.

Take a lot of photos

Most people fail to get the perfect photo on the first attempt. The best way to acquire an image that will pass a passport photo inspection is to use common, user-friendly camera tricks: Turn on your digital camera’s auto-focus and “burst” or “continuous shooting” mode. The first option reduces fuzziness so that you don’t become irritated trying to focus shots manually. The second option makes the camera take several photos within seconds so that you don’t have to constantly push the shutter button. It also increases your chances of catching your baby at just the right moment. Once you have your baby in position, hold a filled bottle or toy slightly above the lens so that the baby keeps their eyes focused straight in front of them. If a shot you like is great other than it has red eye problems, don’t consider it a loss. Many governments permit red eye digital editing.

After you have one or more photos that you think might get the job done, turn to our professionals at Paspic.com to help you pick the right one and print it to the correct government specifications. We make the selection and printing process for passport photos for babies quick and convenient. Talk to one of our team today.

Getting a toddler to sit still for a passport photograph is almost impossible. More often than not, no amount of peek-a-boos or baby talk could get them to stay still, pay attention, and look into the camera long enough to capture a decent photo. It can be very frustrating for both parents and children alike knowing that official regulations regarding passport photos are quite strict. Although they are a bit lenient when it comes to toddler passport photos, the required background, clarity, and positioning must at least be followed.

Photo booths

Passport photo booths have the right settings to produce qualified photographs, however, it may not work as efficiently with toddlers, unless you have a well-behaved 1-year-old. Some parents use regular photo booths to acquire passport photos but these often yield pictures that would not pass regulations.

Professional photo studios

There are photo studios that offer passport photos as one of their services. This is a valid option but it can be quite expensive. It is quite fortunate that even traditional photo studios use digital cameras so at least you get a preview of the photo immediately after the shot, giving you a chance to choose the photos you think would qualify. Also, prints are ready just an hour after the photo session.

Online photo services

One highly recommended place to get baby passport photos is through an online passport photo service. They are knowledgeable about the strict requirements in passport applications for various countries. The process starts with you sending a picture of your baby to them, which they inspect manually to ensure that it conforms to the requirements. Once they see that it is a valid passport photo, they send you the prints through the mail. The great thing about this is that you get to photograph your toddler on your own. The baby is more relaxed around familiar faces and is more likely to stay still for a photograph. Just make sure that when you photograph your child, the background is white and that the baby is wearing dark-colored clothes with sleeves.