Make our own passport like photo?

[Crazy Cat 42,561]

12 minutes ago, David & Zoila said:

Hahaha, blow 10-12 bucks...I make XX dollars an hour.  Not worth the time and the risk.

I saw what you did there....lol

[Loren Y 2,756]

3 minutes ago, David & Zoila said:

A passport photo booth will not ensure you are not wearing earrings, excessive makeup, you are too close or too far from the lens, you are perfectly centered, your ears are not covered, your hair is hanging down over your face too much, you are wearing a scarf, you are smiling too much,  will lit?  I would spend the 10 bucks.  My time is more valuable than to spend 10 minutes downloading an app to make my own photos.  What a waste of time.  But that's just me...

Wow! that is an insane list of things to check for. I have never heard of a photo being rejected because the person was smiling too much, I would love to see the right amount of smile to put in my photos, I guess I'm better than I thought. I just use the white background ( I stand in front of a white wall in my house with my camera on a tripod, it's a one person job), get your head and chin in the right spot and roll with it. But do what makes you comfortable, I am cheap when it comes to my passport photos, that's just me, rather waste my money on a beer at the local pub.

[Crazy Cat 42,561]

8 minutes ago, Loren Y said:

Wow! that is an insane list of things to check for. I have never heard of a photo being rejected because the person was smiling too much, I would love to see the right amount of smile to put in my photos, I guess I'm better than I thought. I just use the white background ( I stand in front of a white wall in my house with my camera on a tripod, it's a one person job), get your head and chin in the right spot and roll with it. But do what makes you comfortable, I am cheap when it comes to my passport photos, that's just me, rather waste my money on a beer at the local pub.

From CBS News:

"The new guidelines permit people to smile for passport and visa pictures but frown on toothy smiles, which apparently are classified as unusual or unnatural expressions.

"The subject's expression should be neutral (non-smiling) with both eyes open, and mouth closed. A smile with a closed jaw is allowed but is not preferred," according to the guidelines."

 

Now, you know......

Edited July 20, 2018 by missileman

[Loren Y 2,756]

12 minutes ago, missileman said:

From CBS News:

"The new guidelines permit people to smile for passport and visa pictures but frown on toothy smiles, which apparently are classified as unusual or unnatural expressions.

"The subject's expression should be neutral (non-smiling) with both eyes open, and mouth closed. A smile with a closed jaw is allowed but is not preferred," according to the guidelines."

 

Now, you know......

I guess so. well, I have just been insanely lucky then, I'm on my way to drop a 5 spot in the Megabucks machine because I obviously have been risking life and limb using these self made passport photos, and have never had one rejected yet. Used them for mine and my fiancee photos for the  I129F application that was just approved, so I'm glad I wasn't smiling to much. For her photo she had a friend take a couple photos with her phone and she sent them to me on Line, I downloaded them, ran them thru the website software and submitted them after printing at walmart. They passed USCIS. and I'll be using the website again for the medical exam photos ( That are a little different size), and for the embassy interview. I used them for the police certificates also no problem, so I don't know how being cheap has caused me any issues so far. Will let you know if I have a problem down the line.

 

I have also used them for her visa to Dubai, and a few other tourist visas for different countries. I really have used them a lot if I think about it more and more, and never had an issue.

Edited July 20, 2018 by Loren Y

[NoProblem 69]

I have been doing them myself for my kids and my mom.  I take good selfies against white background (use a stand or something stable - use hand gesture to do the capture), then I adjust them using MS Image Composer (old free software that came with MS FrontPage), put 6 pics in a 4 x 6 format and then get them printed at Walgreens or cheaper at Walmart.  Usually you can get 4 useful picture out of the 6.  I never had a picture rejected.  I started doing these myself as a revenge once I was billed $25 at a JC penny store around 18 years back for two pics.  I know they are now cheaper at a Walgreen store for 8 to 10 bucks for a set of 2.

Edited July 20, 2018 by NoProblem

[Crazy Cat 42,561]

Personally, I  value my time and my wife, so I splurged for the $19.99 passport photos......if money for passport photos is an issue, then look out......AOS, ROC, and naturalization are going to really hit your pocketbook.

[Loren Y 2,756]

7 minutes ago, NoProblem said:

I have been doing them myself for my kids and my mom.  I take good selfies against white background (use a stand or something stable - use hand gesture to do the capture), then I adjust them using MS Image Composer (old free software that came with MS FrontPage), put 6 pics in a 4 x 6 format and then get them printed at Walgreens or cheaper at Walmart.  Usually you can get 4 useful picture out of the 6.  I never had a picture rejected.  I started doing these myself as a revenge once I was billed $25 at a JC penny store around 18 years back for two pics.  I know they are now cheaper at a Walgreen store for 8 to 10 bucks for a set of 2.

That's exactly what happened to me. When I went to get my first passport about 25 years ago I went to the JC penny photo studio and got taken for around 25 bucks also. Never again. Thanks for sharing,I am glad I found someone else to admit they got hosed by JC penny. I have been keeping that hidden for 30 years, and I feel better I was able to share.

Edited July 20, 2018 by Loren Y

[Loren Y 2,756]

10 minutes ago, missileman said:

Personally, I  value my time and my wife, so I splurged for the $19.99 passport photos......if money for passport photos is an issue, then look out......AOS, ROC, and naturalization are going to really hit your pocketbook.

Not that I'm bragging, but my pocketbook is pretty deep. I'm liquid to 6 figures in a 24 hour period. I just don't waste money, to me, it's the principle of it, not that I don't value my soon to be wife, I just don't think 2 passport photos should cost more than a few bucks. If they did them at the store for 5 bucks, I would do it. everyone has their limits.

[David & Diana R 1,005]

51 minutes ago, missileman said:

I saw what you did there....lol

hahaha you got me.  I all of a sudden realized I didn't want the world to know how much money I make.  After all, we are ALL millionaires...right?  ahaha

[David & Diana R 1,005]

34 minutes ago, missileman said:

Personally, I  value my time and my wife, so I splurged for the $19.99 passport photos......if money for passport photos is an issue, then look out......AOS, ROC, and naturalization are going to really hit your pocketbook.

You go missileman!

[David & Diana R 1,005]

35 minutes ago, Loren Y said:

That's exactly what happened to me. When I went to get my first passport about 25 years ago I went to the JC penny photo studio and got taken for around 25 bucks also. Never again. Thanks for sharing,I am glad I found someone else to admit they got hosed by JC penny. I have been keeping that hidden for 30 years, and I feel better I was able to share.

So glad after all these years you have been able to come out.   Just think.  If it weren't for all this fun on VJ you might have ended up taking that secret to the grave with you.  You know, I feel better too. 

[CJKylie 161]

1 hour ago, David & Zoila said:

A passport photo booth will not ensure you are not wearing earrings, excessive makeup, you are too close or too far from the lens, you are perfectly centered, your ears are not covered, your hair is hanging down over your face too much, you are wearing a scarf, you are smiling too much,  will lit?  I would spend the 10 bucks.  My time is more valuable than to spend 10 minutes downloading an app to make my own photos.  What a waste of time.  But that's just me...

Works for the UK... I’ve just always found it strange that they aren’t an option here.  As for being centered and the right distance from the lens, they literally guide you on the screen so you fit within the exact spot you should be.

 

Also, you still have to pay to use a photo booth so I’m not sure what money or an app has to do with what I said

Edited July 20, 2018 by CJKylie

[Dee elle 1,368]

48 minutes ago, missileman said:

Personally, I  value my time and my wife, so I splurged for the $19.99 passport photos......if money for passport photos is an issue, then look out......AOS, ROC, and naturalization are going to really hit your pocketbook.

This is dedication, commitment and extravagance unheard of in the past  lol !!!!! 😁

[geowrian 22,338]

I am an IT professional and amateur photographer. I've done the passport photos a number of times myself. it really isn't that hard but you must be very careful on the specifics.

 

That said, one time a USPS employee refused to accept my passport application because the head was "too close" to being outside the specified margins. I had to re-book an appointment a week later and get new photos.

The point is that usually doing it yourself will be fine. But sometimes you can get a really picky person. While the CVS/Walgreens/whatever employees are certainly not professionals, their system is set to handle and detect most of the common issues. To me, avoiding the slight risk of an RFE was worth it. YMMV.

 

Edit: And for reference, everything was 100% within the specified regions. But good luck arguing with certain government employees.

Edited July 21, 2018 by geowrian

[Teemo 252]

I thought this was a parody thread. Seriously guys, life's too short to worry about taking your own perfect passport photos. Blow the $12, double-check their work, and spend that extra time you saved getting therapy for the JCPenney trauma you experienced 25 years ago :-P