Baby passport photos might be the single hardest passport photos to obtain. Why? Because all the same rules apply, but a baby is hardly as capable of lining up for a simple picture. Here are a few things that will just get in the way or prove counterproductive to your endeavor:
1. A helping hand
If any part of any other person shows up in a passport photo, that photo isn’t valid. That means you can’t be in your baby photo – not a shoulder, not a hand, not an anything. You need to figure out a way to get that perfect photo without catching a glimpse of anyone else involved in the process. So you can have a helping hand – but you can’t have it in the picture.
2. A prop
It might be hard to get your baby the right distance or angle away, but don’t let that lead you to props and other supports; those aren’t allowed in the picture either. If you can manage to work something out that doesn’t show in the photo, you’re golden, but if it’s at all visible you’re back to square one.
3. A pacifier
It might help keep your child content and neutral-faced, but that doesn’t help when it obscures so much of his or her features. Lose it, or your photos won’t clear inspection, no matter how much else you get right. The same goes for other toys and tools.
4. The camera on your phone
You need a clear, properly focused, well-lit photo. Your camera phone almost certainly isn’t going to cut it.
5. Hats, hoods, and other headgear
Anything that might obscure the face of your baby should be removed, barring daily-wear items mandated by religious or health needs.
6. Distractions or noises
If your baby isn’t looking at the camera, or they’re making a face because of something they saw or heard, their photo probably isn’t going to make it through inspection. A quiet area you can control works best.
7. Poor lighting
Bad lighting can just as easily invalidate your baby passport photo as anything else on this list, yet many parents forget the issue entirely; they get tired of trying to catch the perfect photo, and grab one when an opportunity strikes – without setting up lighting first.
