Passport Photos

US Passport Information

We can’t all be great photographers however when dealing with the State Department for US Passport Photos certain guidelines and requirements are necessary. These rules for passport photos must be followed or your customers request for a passport will be denied.

As with any field of endeavor today the field of the photographer has seen various advances and changes resulting from technological progression. These various advances have resulted in changes in the way that our current passport or visa photos are not only taken but also the way in which the United States Department of State now processes these photos. I have taken the liberty in this article to explain a few hints mainly for the photographer but they apply equally to the customer to ensure a speedy passport process.

It is important that when a photo is made that this photo be a true and accurately image of the passport applicant. The photo must be completely free of any sort of defect which would be cause for rejection and ultimately result in undo delays. Producing a good quality photo will result in the rapid processing of the documents and a very satisfied customer.

As with any subject of a technical nature taking a passport photo will require specific setup routines. A successfully produced photo begins with the application of proper lighting being cast upon the subject.

You should position the light sources onto both sides of your photographic subject in order to avoid the creation of shadows on the person’s face. I would recommend the use of a light source situation in such a manner as to illuminate the background directly behind the subject as well. This procedure will avoid the creation of shadows from developing within the background of the photo.

The next important item to cover would be the position of the camera in reference to the subject. You would be wise to place your camera approximately four feet in front of the subject you are photographing. The camera should be positioned at eye level with the subject and it goes without saying that the subject should be facing the camera directly. Do not ever consider a side view or a slightly angled view. We are dealing here with technical photographic content and not creative images.

When considering the print qualities of the photograph be sure you fully understand that each end product will be only 2 inches by 2 inches square. It used to be that passport photos needed to be in black and white, however they are usually accepted as color these days. They should be printed upon a thin photo paper.

Above all ensure that you produce a clear print with no blurring of any sort. Never retouch or enhance a photo. If necessary re-shoot the picture. As a photographer if you follow these simple steps you can ensure that your customer receives their passport without undo delays.

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