Tag: passport photos

What to wear in your passport photo

Published on in photography, travel by Paspic

A passport photo only serves as a small part of your identification information stored within the booklet, but without an approved photograph, you will be forced to reapply for your passport. This is extremely time consuming and also expensive. Instead, you should ensure you have your passport photo done right the first time. Thankfully, you don’t need a wide range of equipment to snap that perfect photograph. You just need to know a few tips, including what you’re allowed to wear.

Avoid anything white

Your photograph is taken against a white backdrop, so anything white or off-white will blend into the photograph, making it difficult to distinguish your body from the rest of the scene. Instead, wear something that contrasts with the background. The only exception would be if you wear a religious garment on a regular basis – if this is the case, you are permitted to wear it for your passport photo.

Headgear

In general, you need to be careful about any kind of headgear worn in passport photographs. Take out any sort of headphones, earphones, Bluetooth headsets or anything else electronic (outside of required hearing aids). Take off any non-prescription glasses. You are allowed to wear prescription glasses, but take extra care to ensure no glare is in the lens when taking the photograph. Also, remove all head coverings, unless they are for religious purposes. Should you have a head cloth or something of this nature, you need to make sure that it does not cover your face.

Go conservative

In general, it is best to dress conservatively. The top of your shoulders are visible in the photograph, so it is best to avoid wearing anything offensive. In some countries, exposed shoulders (especially on women) is seen as offensive, so it is best to wear a top covering the tops of your shoulders. Practice conservatism here and you’ll avoid offending local police and border patrols upon entering a country.

Dressing correctly for a passport photo isn’t difficult. Follow the tips above and save yourself time and money on that next application.

Photo: Passport by Tony Webster licensed under Creative commons 2

6 tips for great passport photos

Published on in photography, travel by Paspic

Passport photos are only a small part of the passport process, yet even frequent travelers dread them. Their only purpose is to provide an accurate representation of you to avoid security issues; since it only takes a few seconds to take a passport photo, it seems like a technicality. However, you’ll instantly realize the importance if it’s unattractive. There’s nothing wrong with a little vanity – no one wants to be stuck with an unflattering photo for 10 years. For great passport photos, keep these seven tips in mind.

1. Color combo

U.S. regulations require a white background, so wear dark colors for contrast. Choose solid colors that are flattering to your skin tone and avoid patterns.

2. Face facts

Use a tissue to blot your skin to remove excess oil on your face; even a small amount will add a shine that the camera will exaggerate. If necessary, powder your face or use corrective makeup. Your face should have a neutral expression, so you’ll want to add color to highlight your facial features. Men should be clean-shaven, unless they have a beard for religious reasons.

3. Avoid glare and don’t wear sunglasses

Tilt prescription glasses slightly forward to avoid glare. Your eyes must be visible.

4. Tidy your hair

Brush and style your hair, combing through tangles and applying hair products such as gel or hair spray. This may sound silly, but the camera will capture any flyaway hairs.

5. Banish shadows

Lighting placement has a huge impact on photos. Lighting underneath will cast shadows across your face; harsh lighting will do the same. Use soft lighting from the side; it’s the most flattering. Moreover, don’t take your photo after a hard day’s work or if you’re sleepy – the camera will accentuate tired eyes with dark circles.

6. It’s better to have a choice

Take multiple images. It’s smart to have at least ten images. Compare each image, narrow your selection, and choose the most appealing photo.

Passport photos – More than just a good looking mug shot

Published on in photography, travel by Paspic

If you plan on travelling outside the United States whether by land, air or sea, then you must have proper identification to allow you to leave and re-enter the country. Acceptable travel documents almost always require you to have a passport, which is internationally recognized as proof of identity and citizenship. All passport pictures, including baby passport photos, must follow very specific rules or the U.S. Department of State won’t issue you a passport.

Don’t alter or enhance your photo

Everyone wants their passport photo to look good, not like most mug shots on a driver’s license. However, resist the urge for a glamour shot that’s not going to provide a realistic version of yourself. You can use the red-eye reduction option when taking photos with a digital camera, but you can’t remove the red-eye from the photo itself. You can’t Photoshop your photo to remove blemishes or alter it in any way. Absolutely any type of enhancement or alteration to the photo will make it unacceptable. However, if you alter your personal appearance afterwards, that’s okay, as long as it’s nothing more drastic than changing your hairstyle or hair color.

Front face, eyes open, mouth neutral

With heightened security and better technology, it’s critical that new passport photos follow all requirements completely. Your photo must be less than six months old and include unique, measurable physical characteristics identifiable with biometric facial recognition software. That means that in a 2”x 2” photo, your head, from the chin to the crown, must fill 1” to 1 3/8” of that space. You must be fully-facing the camera with your eyes wide open and have a neutral facial expression. Smile, if you must, but keep it natural!

Choose an expert

If your submitted passport photo doesn’t meet each rule explicitly, then the processing of your passport application may be delayed. If you’re planning a trip in the very near future, you don’t want to miss your grand adventure because you couldn’t get your application approved due to photo issues. To avoid processing delays, it’s recommended you use a professional passport photo service who can streamline the process with expert training in how to get your photo approved the first time.

Photographer setup for successful passport photos

Published on in photography, travel by Paspic

You don’t have to be a professional photographer to successfully set up a photo shoot to take acceptable passport photos of the whole family. There are a few simple steps you should follow to ensure the photos you take are appropriate for passport use. Camera placement and lighting are the biggest factors you should pay close attention to.

Positioning your camera

The U.S. Department of State, who issues passports for U.S. citizens, doesn’t allow you to take “selfies” or hand-held self-portraits, so you need someone to take your passport photo for you. This doesn’t mean you need a professional, just someone who can follow a simple photographer setup. This begins with where the camera is positioned. The camera should be set at eye level of the person being photographed and held at least four feet away. The photographer should frame the person in the viewfinder with just their upper body showing and empty space above the head.

Lighting and backgrounds

The background you use for passport pictures should be a solid white or off-white surface and should not contain any type of pattern, print or texture. The area should also be well lit with lighting strategically positioned to eliminate shadows. Don’t use overhead lighting, which can cast shadows. Instead, place one light on both sides of the person being photographed at about 45 degrees from their face. Place a third light close to and facing the background to uniformly illuminate and further remove shadows.

Exceptions for babies, but not children

Baby passport photos are the only ones that can differ from those you take for other members of the family. Depending on the age of the infant, it may not be able to hold its head up on its own and you’re not allowed to hold it up for them. In this case, you should lie the infant down on a plain, white or light colored blanket with lighting on both sides of its head. Babies under one years old aren’t held to the rule of having their eyes open and mouth closed, but child passport photos for toddlers over this age should be treated the same as adults.

How to prepare for your passport photos

Published on in photography, travel by Paspic

Smile for the camera because it’s passport time. And while you’re excited for your international adventure, are you ready for the passport photo you need to take to get there? Posing for this photo will only take a few minutes, but it will stick with you for ten years. You don’t want to look any less than your best in a passport picture, and you don’t want to be unprepared. Here is what you need to know.

Before you get your passport, and the feeling of being a citizen of the world that comes with it, you need make sure you’ve read up on it. Review the regulations and rules about passport pictures. For the US State Department, you need to be standing in front of a white backdrop – look towards the camera, and try to not be too expressive. For your head’s measurement, it must be between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches from your chin to the top of your head.

When it comes to the photos, don’t get too complicated. If you wear prescription glasses daily, be sure to wear them in your passport photo. But be sure to tilt them down a little so there isn’t any glare, the State Department will not allow a photo with glare. Also make sure your eyes are fully visible.

Your hair should be brushed or styled, and you could even use a little gel or hairspray. For women it’s best not to look totally made-up, but some mascara and blush should help accentuate your face in the passport picture.

Be sure to wear a solid color shirt, remember the background will be white. A colored shirt will help you stand out, and a T-shirt would be a good start. If your skin is paler, try a shade of darker blue. If your skin is olive or darker, a vibrant red would work. Do not wear a white shirt since you’ll blend in with your background.

Know what works best going into the photos so you can have an easier time when you are taking them. And when it’s time to say “Cheese!”, position your shoulders back, and hold your chin one inch further out than usual for a more usable photograph. Most of all, have fun and enjoy yourself. A passport photo means you have a big journey ahead…

3 steps to perfect your baby’s passport photo

Published on in photography, travel by Paspic

Like most milestones in a child’s life, it’s important to be prepared for baby’s first international vacation. You have years to worry about the driver’s license, but if you plan to travel as a family, it’s never too early to worry about another form of government ID: your child’s passport. Travellers of all ages need clear, current passport photos to receive their first passports, and your newborn is no exception.

Baby passport photo requirements are much more lenient than the rules that adults and children must follow. However, babies need extra help to fulfil them, and your child passport photo will be useless unless you know exactly what to do. Just follow these three steps to cross your child’s first passport photo off your pre-trip to-do list.

1. Know the requirements

When you submit a passport application to the United States government, it must include one square photo taken within the last six months against a white or off-white background. Printed photos must measure 2″ x 2″, and digital scans must have an equal length and width between 600 and 1,200 pixels.

Baby passport pictures must also meet these simple requirements:

• Eyes open
• Face turned toward the camera
• No one else in the picture

2. Pick the right time

When is your baby most alert? Forget flattering, well-lit snapshots; you won’t be able to repurpose this photo for the family Christmas card, and that’s okay. Just focus on getting a clear, front-facing photo with both eyes open. If your baby is more alert – and less likely to get upset – at a certain time of day, such as right after a nap or right before a feeding, take it then.

3. Create a blank canvas

If your infant can’t sit up and face forward for the photo, you’ll need to keep his or her head supported while making sure it faces the camera. Spread a white blanket over the car seat or put white socks on your hands to hold your baby in place.

At Paspic, we use the latest photographic technology to make passport pictures easier to take by yourself. After you take care of the basic requirements, our system uses facial detection and analysis software to make sure your baby passport photo is fit to submit.

Taking the pain out of passport photos

Published on in photography, travel by Paspic

The modern rules and regulations for passport photos can be confusing, and costly if your snap is rejected by the passport office. This is where an innovative company called Paspic, which based on the The Sussex Innovation Centre  (SINC)  site, has streamlined the passport photo process.

Sussex University alumni Yehuda Hecht came up with the clever idea of combining digital photography with cutting edge technology to improve the passport photograph process. All new passport photos must include measurable and unique physical characteristics for today’s bio-metric facial recognition software. The Paspic system works by taking a digital photo and analysing its suitability in terms of these characteristics.

The Paspic system is so accurate that 99.5% of passport photos are approved upon the first submission to the passport office. And if your photo is rejected, Paspic sends a refund for the submission.

This cutting edge technology has a rich history, based at the SINC site. Yehuda was at the Sussex Uni, School of Applied Sciences from 1970 to 1973. Paspic, previously known as PhotoMagic, was founded by Yehuda in 1989. PhotoMagic was then joint by PhotoMe International and Yehuda’s patented PhotoMagic technology is used worldwide in almost all of the 20,000 digital photo booths.

In 2000, the company changed its name to Paspic and it’s focus shifted from connecting the photo booth kiosk to the internet to making it possible to create passport photos at home. In today’s world of smartphones and digital photography, it’s an obvious step but is also one that relies on years of technical research and development.

Paspic has continued to go from strength to strength. From taking your child’s first passport photo to creating photographic ID cards such as driving licences, student cards and so on, every individual needs a photo ID in one form or another. Paspic is delivering photographic IDs for all these needs and continues to grow and develop its technology as the world demands more photographic IDs within more stringent parameters.