There are plenty of potential reasons for you to need a passport-size photo. There also are various reasons for neglecting to go to a photo salon to make one – tight budget, limited time, and whatnot. And when they overlap, that means you are in a tricky situation. So, how can you come on top of it and make an appropriate passport photo on your own?
If you want to learn everything you need to know about printing passport photos at home, keep reading this post. You’ll find a list of requirements that your image must meet, as well as advice on how to take the perfect photo for your ID.
1 Guidelines for Taking a Passport Photo
Taking an acceptable passport photo is a bit more complicated than taking a selfie, not only because of the requirements you have to meet but also because you have to make some preparations. So, let’s take a look at what you should do before releasing the shutter.
Get a Tripod
A passport photo should be taken from 5 feet (or 1.5 meters) away. That excludes holding the camera in your hands. So, use a tripod, build a DIY mount, or ask someone to help.
Set the Stage
The best choice is a plain white (or near-white) backdrop. Avoid patterns and textures in the background, as well as the presence of any foreign objects in the frame. It is also recommended to have about a meter of distance between you and the backdrop.
Set the Light
Use a lamp to cast mild light on your face to get rid of shadows. This lamp can be placed either behind the camera or high above you. Another lamp can be placed right behind you to make the background evenly lit.
Dress for the Occasion
Put on something plain, and make sure your clothes contrast with the background. Professional uniforms or extravagant dresses are prohibited (except religious attire). No headwear (hats, headphones, masks) allowed as well, except medically required glasses.
Make Proper Face and Pose
Keep your posture straight, roll back the shoulders, and look directly into the camera. Thrusting your chin forward a little bit may help you get rid of a double chin. Don’t frown, open your mouth, smile widely, or grin. Widely open your eyes, and don’t turn your head. Keeping the corners of your mouth slightly up is generally acceptable, though.
2 Passport Photo Requirements
Now that you are prepared let’s set the goal post. Here’s the list of the most command requirements for ID photos:
● For a print, passport photo size is 2 × 2 inches
● Photo is recent and in color
● Backdrop is plain white
● Head takes from 50% to 69% of the picture’s height
● No selfies allowed
However, keep in mind that these requirements may vary from country to country. So, it is better to do some research beforehand.
3
If you have managed to take photos that match all the official requirements – great! “Now, how can I print my own passport photos?”, you may ask. Preparing a print-ready layout has its caveats, but we’ll guide you through the process one step at a time.
- General Process
Step 1. Open your photo in any image processor.
Step 2. Resize your photo to fit the required size and proportions.
Step 3. Click the Print button to access the print menu.
Step 4. Take a look at the preview. If anything is off, return and make adjustments. Step 5. Once all looks right, select a printer and print your pictures on photo paper.
However, do keep in mind that these steps may vary from program to program.
- Using Specialized Software
There’s a lot of room for error when you make printing layouts yourself. So, when picking a program for the job, it is best to stick to specialized photo editors rather than generic image processors. Such apps provide everything you need, from up-to-date templates for various ID types to automated tools that do most of the work for you. If that is the way you’d like to go, read more on how to make a passport photo size print with such software in greater detail.
Wrapping Up
So, in case you want to take passport photos yourself, you are now equipped with the necessary knowledge. Doing things on your own can save a lot of time and money, but you still need to put some effort into it. Still, you can try it right away!
