passport photos

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realspeed

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I had to renew my passport photo a short time ago . So I decided to take it myself, against going into a photobooth or have it done professionally. Reading up on the requirements (for a UK passport) they wanted a head and shoulders shot taken at a fixed distance . So meeting their requirements I did a "selfie" short against a plain wall at around 4/5ft away with the right lens. . Have to say as it was the first time of doing this I was pleased I got a nice colour photo of myself. Next into editing just to adjust the photo to the requied size, nothing else. Great sent it of to the passport office and what did they do? convert it into a bad black and white version which pissed me off after all that trouble I went to. So now I have a passport showing a monster (looks nothing like me but it is) in the passport document.
With all the money the passport government department have access to they can only reproduce crap photos.

I wonder what the equivilant is requirements are overseas?

Oh and I am such a good looking guy as well :rolleyes: 🤣
 
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realspeed said:
I had to renew my passport photo a short time ago . So I decided to take it myself, against going into a photobooth or have it done professionally. Reading up on the requirements (for a UK passport) they wanted a head and shoulders shot taken at a fixed distance . So meeting their requirements I did a "selfie" short against a plain wall at around 4/5ft away with the right lens. . Have to say as it was the first time of doing this I was pleased I got a nice colour photo of myself. Next into editing just to adjust the photo to the requied size, nothing else. Great sent it of to the passport office and what did they do? convert it into a bad black and white version which pissed me off after all that trouble I went to. So now I have a passport showing a monster (looks nothing like me but it is) in the passport document.
With all the money the passport government department have access to they can only reproduce crap photos.

I wonder what the equivilant is requirements are overseas?
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Well, usually when you show your passport you are wearing your real face at the same time. So why care?
 
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pochito
because of the amount of time -research and taking to meet the statutory requirements, Let alone form filling posting (snail mail) and hoping the photo I took was good enough. I had to send a new photo because the existing one was out of date
Also did one of "er indoors" as well as that too was out of date photo wise. One national store over here that does pasaport photos are asking about £13 ($17 usd) for just one photo let alone a second or same for 2 people. It becomes expensive. I have the means ie. a printer/paper to do it myself for the cost of a including recorded delivery and postage stamp
 
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We need to see that photo!
Me rendered for my Viking heritage

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USA passports do the same thing - color image sent, b/w image popped into the book, with a rendering that would scare any decent person.

I've toyed with doing the same as you, but ended up 'wasting' $17.84 at a local Walgreen's for my (and my wife's) recent renewals. Didn't want to deal with any issues in case I got it wrong, given it's a once-in-10-years exercise. In 2034, perhaps I'll try your way - if I can remember your post then!
 
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I spent a lot of time at the password office getting things renewed in the past couple years.

I ended up going to a local pharmacy and they did the photos for a very small cost. The photo was nothing remarkable but was adequate.

Then I looked at the photo that ended up in the passport and it was severely degraded through whatever they did with it.

I think any attempt to make a quality passport photo on our side is a waste of time and energy.
 
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I had mine taken by my local Walmart store. They did it in colour, and it wasn't bad.
The one that made it into my Canadian passport was also in colour, and slightly degraded from the original. I guess they digitize the original and then print it into the passport. It's good enough so no complaints. My last three passports had the photo in colour. I don't remember the ones before that.

I guess since the UK and US populations are much larger than that of Canada, perhaps your governments are trying to save money on colour ink?
 
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There are indeed the requirements for passports but also requirements on passport photos one have to provide for acquiring a visa.
China for example demands that the person cannot wear glasses on his/her photo, the same for Vietnam.
India demands a square 5 * 5cm photo (2" x 2")
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Real Speed said:
Posting by snail mail…
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The nightmare worsens. Anyone heard of email, attachments, electronic forms… ?

This is rivalling Charles Dickens's Circumlocution Office (Little Dorrit, 1857) where everything was made as preposterously difficult ('circumlocuted') as possible… just because they could.

And here I was thinking that Australia was only a dozen or so hours ahead of the rest of the world!
 
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Dave Berry
Of course a lot can be done electronically. the only time for paperwork here in the UK is when asked for a new photo as the old one is out of date.
You live in a part of the world I would love to visit. I have cousins in Sydney and internet friends in Brisbane
 
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In Australia every post office is a passport office.

If I am correct, they all have the same model camera set on auto; even the same stand-here X on the floor and the same pull-down backdrop.

"Click!"

Hand over the old passport and a new one will arrive by registered mail within a week. And that's the first time you'll see what you look like.
 
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I wonder if there's some science behind the B&W photos? My last Texas driver renewal was the new verified ID. While the DL office did the photography the picture on my DL, for the first time, was in B&W. It also was even more horrible!
 
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realspeed said:
I had to renew my passport photo a short time ago . So I decided to take it myself, against going into a photobooth or have it done professionally. Reading up on the requirements (for a UK passport) they wanted a head and shoulders shot taken at a fixed distance . So meeting their requirements I did a "selfie" short against a plain wall at around 4/5ft away with the right lens. . Have to say as it was the first time of doing this I was pleased I got a nice colour photo of myself. Next into editing just to adjust the photo to the requied size, nothing else. Great sent it of to the passport office and what did they do? convert it into a bad black and white version which pissed me off after all that trouble I went to. So now I have a passport showing a monster (looks nothing like me but it is) in the passport document.
With all the money the passport government department have access to they can only reproduce crap photos.

I wonder what the equivilant is requirements are overseas?

Oh and I am such a good looking guy as well :rolleyes: 🤣
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There’s no such thing as a good passport or driver’s license photo. Mine make me look like a character out of Night of the Living Dead on a bad night. 🧟‍♂️🧌
 
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Where I live if you go to the County Courthouse to fill out your passport application, not only do they help you with the form, they take the picture for you as well. Very helpful folks.
 
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I renewed my USA passport online last year, taking the photo myself (and retouching to whiten the textured wall and clean up the fold in my black shirt). It was accepted first time, in spite of an article stating the person had to submit several times and warning strictly not to do any retouching. (I think that person did not know how to size their head correctly).

USA passports have gone from color photos to black and white photos, as have many countries. Some states in USA (New York, etc) are also going to black and white photos for their driver's licenses. The reason is simple and sensible. Color photos using the printers that these places use often have odd color casts. Also people change their hair color (obviously not me, but some people) and on rare occasions even their eye color with contacts. Black and white eliminates these issues so it is easier to get head shots that look good on all passports they issue if they print them in black and white.
 
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Fred, that makes sense. I looked up the question for more background, and here it is, below. Color pics still need to be supplied, but they come back (in the passport book) as b/w.

Why is my passport picture black and white?​

Through time, the U.S. passport and photo rules have been changing with the advanced new technologies evolving rapidly. For example, we can now create a passport photo online easily. Becoming a more and more secure and complex document, the passport has modified its appearance too, especially its first page.

Starting in 2021, U.S. citizens can now receive the next generation passports. The U.S. Department of State explains on its official website that the even more robust passport books have new enhanced security features, such as laser-engraved personalization and updated artwork. In addition, it has a polycarbonate data page with stored information, biometrics, expiration date, and visa pages with extended options for frequent international travel.

What’s more, the passport photo has undergone a few transitions. It has turned from a color picture into a black and white photo. There is a new alphabetic alphanumeric passport number to the right of the passport picture as one of the other enhanced security features. The passport photo is not only black and white, but laser engraved too.
 
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