passport photos

cabbeycabbey Registered Users Posts: 1,053 Major grins
edited October 19, 2009 in People
Anyone done passport photos recently? DHS gives some pretty extensive guidelines for what they'll accept. I *think* I got pretty close to what they want here:

684900440_tX3rC-S.jpg684899593_Ltf8F-S.jpg684900044_x72x5-S.jpg

Anyone see anything they'd reject on?
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Comments

  • HackboneHackbone Registered Users Posts: 4,027 Major grins
    edited October 18, 2009
    Just watch out for the distance from the top of the head to the bottom of the chin. It must be within a certain range. Haven't done them for awhile so I'm not sure on that but I think 1 to 1 3/8. Also I heard they do not want smiles, just a plain expression.
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  • aktseaktse Registered Users Posts: 1,928 Major grins
    edited October 18, 2009
    cabbey wrote:
    Anyone done passport photos recently? DHS gives some pretty extensive guidelines for what they'll accept. I *think* I got pretty close to what they want here:

    Anyone see anything they'd reject on?
    I recently had to go through this -- (twice!!!!) .

    I think you got it pretty close, and you probably checked this already.

    They'll ding you on the background color (not white), shadows of the head, and it's underexposed -- look at this linky for examples on the exposure and this linky for specifics on the shadows of the background. They're really looking for a high-key-ish photo. Basically, I think you need another light for the background, or use PS, and blow out the background in a mask layer.

    You also might want to crop in a bit more (too much space on top).
    US Department of State wrote:
    dimensions.gif

    Overall, a pretty good job! thumb.gif
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  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited October 18, 2009
    The second one looks good but 1 & 3 have shadows. I just dealt with those good folks and they rejected my wife's photo because there was a slight shadow behind the head.
    Harry
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  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited October 18, 2009
    Here's official setup recommendation:

    http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/guide_2081.html

    I must note, you're lucky: GC photos standard few years ago were major PITA, untill they lowered the bar and made tem equal to passport ones.
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited October 18, 2009
    Nikolai wrote:
    I must note, you're lucky: GC photos standard few years ago were major PITA, untill they lowered the bar and made tem equal to passport ones.

    Really?? WOOOHOOOO for that!!!! When my dh got his greencard it was a complete PITA getting those done (I think it took three tries). He's due for a renewal soon and it's good to know we want have to deal with that palaver again.

    Not sure if you're doing these as a business venture or for yourself, but fwiw I didn't even bother doing DIY passport photos when I renewed recently - Ritz does them for cheap and it was easier than messing around with all the cropping rules. Remember that they also have to be cut to a VERY precise size (with rounded edges) - don't know if you can send them in uncut and they will do them accordingly with their punchout (which is how Ritz did them), but be warned the reqs on that appeared to be pretty stringent too.
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  • PupatorPupator Registered Users Posts: 2,322 Major grins
    edited October 18, 2009
    I just did mine, the wife's, and our infant son's a few months ago and didn't have any trouble at all. We did not send in pictures with rounded edges (I've never heard that as a requirement). I would agree with the critiques you got above but I think you can fix them all in PP. Boost the exposure and eliminate the shadows, then crop to the right specifications.
  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited October 18, 2009
    Pupator wrote:
    I just did mine, the wife's, and our infant son's a few months ago and didn't have any trouble at all. We did not send in pictures with rounded edges (I've never heard that as a requirement). I would agree with the critiques you got above but I think you can fix them all in PP. Boost the exposure and eliminate the shadows, then crop to the right specifications.

    Gotcha. I'll admit I didn't know if the cutting template was a requirement (I stated it badly above - apologies), but the way they punched them out looked like it was the "official" way to send them in. Like I say, I simply didn't want to faff about with all the requirements, especially since our last experience with getting official photos in the US was for hubby's greencard which, as Nik mentions above, used to be nightmarish! I just cut my losses and used a service - I figured I'd rather have it be their mistake than mine :D
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  • cabbeycabbey Registered Users Posts: 1,053 Major grins
    edited October 18, 2009
    OMG, I just saw these on my calibrated monitor for the first time... didn't realize the laptop was THAT bright.

    I never saw any indication about rounded corners... in fact at least one place they said not to cut out the photos, they'd do that with their punch.

    And the more I look at that doc (yeah, I've got it April) the more I think I messed up the math with the ratios on the face.... too small.
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  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited October 18, 2009
    I did GC and US Passport photos for all my family and many friends over the years. If you are al set up and know what to do, it can be a convenient alternative (and also make sure "they come out right").
    These days, they can do it in any post office bureau (where they issue the passports), so if it takes you more than 10 minutes to do from start to finish it really is not worth it.deal.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • Ann McRaeAnn McRae Registered Users Posts: 4,584 Major grins
    edited October 19, 2009
    Hey Cabbey

    Boy, Quinn looks like his mom!

    Here in Canada, smiles are not allowed! And Costco does them for a pittance!

    ann

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  • tortillatorturetortillatorture Registered Users Posts: 194 Major grins
    edited October 19, 2009
    cabbey wrote:
    Anyone see anything they'd reject on?

    maby its different rules for different countrys? in mine, you can NOT smile!
  • cabbeycabbey Registered Users Posts: 1,053 Major grins
    edited October 19, 2009
    Officially, they say "the subject may be either smiling or not, but unusual expressions and squinting should be avoided."

    The very same file also says no reflection on glasses... which means a re-shot is in order.
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  • cabbeycabbey Registered Users Posts: 1,053 Major grins
    edited October 19, 2009
    new rogue's gallery
    Ok, think I've got it this time. :D Rather than guessing in LR if I had the alignment or size correct, I built an overlay template in OmniGraffle based on the chin-to-top-of-head measurement of 1 to 1 3/8" (not 1 to 1 1/8 like I had thought it was before) and the 1 to 1 1/8 bottom-to-eye-level measurement. Fixed the shadow on mine and Quinn's, reshot the wife to get rid of the glare on the glasses. Oh, and used that nifty histogram doh-dad to actually get something resembling white even though it made us look thermo nucular on the only screen I can get PhotoShop running on at the moment.

    685509617_gV8nq-S.jpg685509530_4pdGp-S.jpg685509433_HzvAR-S-1.jpg

    Now to get these printed and go over to the county courthouse to apply. :) Thanks for the extra set(s) of eyes folks.
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  • cabbeycabbey Registered Users Posts: 1,053 Major grins
    edited October 19, 2009
    Ann McRae wrote:
    Hey Cabbey

    Boy, Quinn looks like his mom!

    Here in Canada, smiles are not allowed! And Costco does them for a pittance!

    ann


    Yeah, we're pretty sure he's her's. rolleyes1.gif

    I contemplated getting them done at a place here in town... but I had to try it at least once. ne_nau.gif
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