Baby Passport Photo

[Lord Pikey]

Afternoon All,

I am after some advice for taking mini 's first passport photo. I have read a few on-line guides and tried to take some advice from the gov.uk passport photo guidelines website but i really don't want to have his passport application refused for failing to meet the requirements.

The first two are the best i have so far, and the third is just because it makes me laugh when i see it.

I am using a Canon 50d with a remote yongobongo flash unit bouncing off the ceiling.

Any pointers will be very gratefully received.

[TheInternet]

UK Government said:

Children under 6 don’t have to be looking directly at the camera or have a neutral expression.

You'd have to be a miserable toad not to exploit this.

[Lord Pikey]

TheInternet said:

You'd have to be a miserable toad not to exploit this.

Id love to use the last pic but i think you need to be able to see both his ears according to the guidelines i read

[C0ffin D0dger]

We took our baby to the local Max Speilmann place (like Snappy Snaps) and they did them for us. Only took a few minutes and only a few £.

As they do passport photos day in day out they'll know what is acceptable.

[GlenMH]

C0ffin D0dger said:

We took our baby to the local Max Speilmann place (like Snappy Snaps) and they did them for us. Only took a few minutes and only a few £.

As they do passport photos day in day out they'll know what is acceptable.

+1 Jessops did ours - with a money back guarantee if the application got bounced.

[tog]

Lighting looks fine, it's just getting him to look at the camera. I assume you're standing on a table or something to take it, so ask your wife to stand next to you peering over your shoulder and making appropriate noises so he looks at you. If he's relaxed and not hungry that helps too. And be more careful focussing or stop down a bit more – the first two of those are out of focus.

[Lord Pikey]

Cheers, i was using my f1.4 50mm so ill wind it back a bit.

Ill have another attempt tonight before giving up and taking him to a local shop for it to be done.

[Gemm]

Love the last one!

I've done this a few times but personally I found it was better when they were held up rather than lying down.

[MysteryLemon]

They are a lot more lenient with baby passport photos than they are with adult ones.

Follow the regulations as best you can but generally, as long as you can see the face (eyes don't have to be on the camera) with a white/grey background with minimal shadows, head size as they ask and printed to the correct dimensions, they will accept them.

The only issue I can see with the images you've posted is that you will probably end up with the hand in the shot when cropped. I doubt that would be acceptable. Retake and get someone else to quickly hold the arms down.

EDIT

Or be naughty and shop them out

Edited by MysteryLemon on Thursday 11th September 10:44

[Petrus1983]

Not sure if this helps but I'm dealing with the embassy to sort out an emergency visa for my newnorn and was given this:

"Two passport size photos of Keston, looking directly at the camera, white background, no smiling or teeth showing. "

Annoyingly the local FedEx office weren't even prepared to try and take the photo as too many are returned. Not showing teeth won't be a problem either!

[dave-the-diver]

I see two ears.

[MysteryLemon]

https://www.gov.uk/photos-for-passports

^ All you need to know.

Specifically :

Children must be on their own in the picture. Babies must not be holding toys or using dummies.

Children under 6 don’t have to be looking directly at the camera or have a neutral expression.

Children under 1 don’t have to have their eyes open. If their head is supported by a hand, the hand mustn’t be visible in the photo.


However :

Your photos may be rejected unless they show you:

facing forward and looking straight at the camera
with a neutral expression and your mouth closed
without anything covering the face
in clear contrast to the background
without a head covering (unless it’s worn for religious or medical reasons)
with eyes open, visible and free from reflection or glare from glasses
with your eyes not covered by sunglasses, tinted glasses, glasses frames or hair
without any ‘red eye’
without any shadows in the picture


The last point may be an issue with the shadows on the sheet you have used. Make sure it has no wrinkles. Maybe stretch it tight around something and lay the baby on that.

[creampuff]

MysteryLemon said:

Children under 1 don’t have to have their eyes open. If their head is supported by a hand, the hand mustn’t be visible in the photo.

The simple solution is to hold the baby upside down by the feet so you don't need to support the head. Then just turn the photo upside down too when you submit the application

Also your sheet won't work due to the wrinkles.

[crmcatee]

Lord said:

This is calling for this to be done to it..

[Lord Pikey]

Awesome posts thanks everyone. Amusing and informative.

Ill try again later with a stretched sheet on a flat board and maybe just do it when he is asleep if his eyes do not need to be open.

Thanks

[Lord Pikey]

Thanks chaps.

Ok, some changes made. Oscar laid on a hard surface with a sheet stretched over it. Flash bouncing off the ceiling. It was easier to wait for him to be asleep as babies under 6 months do not need their eyes open.

What do you think?

[DoubleSix]

GlenMH said:

C0ffin D0dger said:

We took our baby to the local Max Speilmann place (like Snappy Snaps) and they did them for us. Only took a few minutes and only a few £.

As they do passport photos day in day out they'll know what is acceptable.

+1 Jessops did ours - with a money back guarantee if the application got bounced.

Good grief.

I'm surprised you actually managed to conceive "all on your own" if taking a few pics of a baby requires the assistance of a third party...