Passport Photos

[Gatt]

We are trying to sort out a passport for our 3yo son and looking for some info

Basically, the chances of him sitting correctly in a Photo Booth is slim to none, going to a Photo Studio is out of the question as we reckon this would prove expensive

So, has anyone done their own?

We went to IDPhoto4You - Online Passport Photo Service which allowed us to upload a photo of him, after being run through Photoshop CS3 to remove the background, and get it the correct size..

We have printed it out on photographic Paper (HP Everyday Photo Semi-Gloss)

Looking for some guidance on if anyone has, or knows somoene who has, either had this accepted or rejected by IPS.

If rejected do you/they know why?

[chris_uk]

Hi Gatt

I've used these people, https://www.paspic.com/ for pictures for my son, wife and mother in law. They pre-approve the pictures to UK passport standard. Very quick delivery, couldn't actually ask for a better service from them.

chris

[laserblazer]

The small photo studios are often as cheap (or close) to photo booth prices. We had ours done last week and I think we paid £5 each. Much better results than the photo booth. And the Post Office said my wife's wouldn't be accepted because of her fringe. The photographer said b0!!0cks but he did it again FOC.

[elsiegee40]

The full rules are here: Passport photos and who can certify them : Directgov - Travel and transport
and include the line "•be professionally printed (photographs printed at home are not likely to be of an acceptable quality)"

It only cost me £5 to get my photographs done at the local photo printing shop... we've done it there since the children were tiny. Isn't it easier just to get it done that way?

My son did need serious bribing for the one when he was 2... it is being kept to use in evidence against him. He looks like he is about to commit murder!

Are you aware you can complete a passport application online now? IPS online passport application
They print the form and send it back to you for signing. It saves hours of painstaking block capitals!

[Gatt]

The full rules are here: Passport photos and who can certify them : Directgov - Travel and transport
and include the line "•be professionally printed (photographs printed at home are not likely to be of an acceptable quality)"

Yep, I know this already, but then considering how the photo's turn out on the bloomin passport!!

It only cost me £5 to get my photographs done at the local photo printing shop... we've done it there since the children were tiny. Isn't it easier just to get it done that way?

My son did need serious bribing for the one when he was 2... it is being kept to use in evidence against him. He looks like he is about to commit murder!

You've never been to a photo-shoot with my son! we did it once and no amount of bribary worked! if he doesnt want to do it - he wont!

Are you aware you can complete a passport application online now? IPS online passport application
They print the form and send it back to you for signing. It saves hours of painstaking block capitals!

We are - and we are in the process of completing tha now - but it doesn't help with the photo's! Lol...

Actually, as my Wife has just asked about the Boot's Photo Service..

The Photo we have is acceptable, its the printing it off we aren't so sure about.....

[Martin]

I got mine done in the local Jessops, although i can't find any mention of it on their web-site.

Basically i had two attempts using the booth in the Post Office, both of which were rejected because "my head was too big" even though i couldn't sit any further back from the lens - and they only agreed to refund the cost of one of the sets of pictures

Thus i popped around the corner to Jessops and they took a digital photo and confirmed that i was happy with the picture before printing. They also said that if the Post Office checking service weren't happy, they would take another picture for free.

IIRC, it was slightly more expensive than the photo booth, but less than a tenner - and you get a real person taking the picture so no holding your breath waiting for the flash timer

mb

[SYSMAN_MK]

Just applying for my 3y olds first passport. Used Photo Printing online : Snappy Snaps : Order photos online, Collect in Store.. They took the pic and then printed them off. Were really patient and took about a hundred till they got one that would be ok. Worth a look to see if there is one in your neck of the woods.

[witch]

We did ours at home, ourselves - because that way we could take loads of pics until we found one that matched the criteria, which we went through VERY carefully. Must have worked, as all pics were accepted first time - and we are not usually clever at that sort of thing

[tech_guy]

I've always taken the photographs myself; white background, even lighting, a bit of photoshop, printed to size on photographic paper. Job done. Never had an issue and I've done it for friends and family as well.

[limbo]

I can absolutely appreciate what you are going through - had the exact same experience four years ago when by boy was 3 and convinced myself I would end up having to cancel the holiday over it!

I printed my own photo for his passport, as long as it matches all the criteria in terms of size, background, facial expressions etc. you should be fine, mine was accepted with no problem.

[AngryTechnician]

I take the photos, do whatever I need to, then arrange them in a 2x4 layout and take a high-res JPEG down to Boots on a memory stick and print it on their self-service kiosk. Cost about 50p for a single print IIRC.

[sidewinder]

I agree that a local photo studio who can take the pictures is usually better than a stupid booth

But why in this day and age do they not allow you to submit a photo digitally? Or provide a tool for printing your own (with the caveat that is must be a certain min resolution and be on photo paper perhaps) A lot of people have decent photo printers these days

[dhicks]

So, has anyone done their own?

Sure, I photographed someone for a passport photo, printed it out on glossy photo paper, seemed to work okay.

--
David Hicks

[ICT_GUY]

Using photo shop,

Make a work area of 150 dpi and a size of 6 x 4.

Resize the photo of your son to the correct size at 150 dpi and copy and paste it onto the 6 x 4 work area. Goto Asda and print out the result for 30p.

Or if you want more in depth instructions.

[Gatt]

ok thanks folks - we managed to track down some 4x6 inch glossy photo paper and printed out 4 pics of him (via idphoto4you.com)
We had to run it through PS to remove the background - very easy with the quick mask tool, and the wife's steady hand!

Filled in the online form and awaiting it returned to us for signing, at which point we'll get the photo signed and sent off with the form...