Why was my passport picture from Staples or CVS rejected?
Taking a passport picture should be a basic competency for a portrait photographer. I have people drop by my Marblehead studio usually for European and Canadian passport pictures, because Staples and CVS only do a 2 inch square USA one (most other countries require a smaller picture with rectangular aspect ratio).
So when people started coming to me, rather than their local drug store, for American passport pictures, I naturally asked “why?”.
Turns out, it depends on the experience of the staff present when you walk in. Some know what they are doing, others don’t. And a lack of attention to detail is why a passport photo can be rejected. It doesn’t take much.
The pictures were rejected because they were too dark. This is either because the operator underexposed without thinking it mattered, or because they were using an auto-exposure setting on the camera and it was fooled by skin-tones or the bright background.
A passport photo seems easy to make, but the following details must be taken seriously:
Exposure must honor natural skin tones.
Light must be even without shadow on the face and background.
Photo must not be blurry. Flash, camera-holding technique, correct depth of field, and fast shutter speeds help make a sharp, crips photo, even when viewed close up. These techniques are often unknown or ignored by the inexperienced operator.
Every country I’ve researched asks for a “neutral” expression with the mouth closed.
The dimensions and position of the face must be within the tolerances given by the passport issuing authority. Some countries have useful templates, others simply provide the measurements. Actually, some countries are very vague about these criteria, but I’ll discuss that in a separate post!
There are rules on hair, clothing, glasses, jewelry and often many others that need to be followed for the photo.
Some countries, quite rightly, tell you how far back the camera needs to be for the correct perspective. An inexperienced operator will stand too close.
Prints must be high quality so that the individual dots of ink cannot be seen.
PAPER MATTERS! Some countries want thick paper, others thin. Some want glossy, others matte. The Australians will only accept dye-sublimation prints (which, of course, I use for my passport photo prints here).
Digital files must be exported between designated minimum and maximum resolutions and file sizes.
Details, details, details. I take the details seriously so you don’t have to worry about a thing.
Find out more about my fast passport photo services here: https://www.filnenna.com/passport, or contact me to have your passport photos taken and printed within an hour.
“Had a great experience with Fil. Just needed a simple passport photo (when the one I got at Staples was rejected!). No issues with the photo I received from Fil Nenna Photography, as it looked great and was accepted immediately (for the same price I paid at Staples). Total professional, lovely space, warm & kind. I would definitely recommend and would return for any other photo needs (e.g. website, portraits, etc.). Thank you!”
I’m Fil Nenna, a portrait photographer serving Boston’s North Shore who specializes in helping individuals and small businesses like yours get more customers through quality images for your website or social media like LinkedIn.
Located in Marblehead I provide on-location services in Salem, Swampscott, Peabody, Saugus, Beverly, Danvers, Lynn, Boston and beyond. I can work in any space no matter the size or lighting conditions.
Please get in touch at info@filnenna.com to find out how quick and convenient making awesome headshots can be! We can even make interview-style branding videos.
