Have you ever looked at your new passport photo and thought: is it possible to look attractive in any picture for documents?
According to statistics collected by the Department of Psychology at York University, 9 out of 10 people are not happy with how they look in passport photos and consider themselves unphotogenic.
By following 2 essential rules presented in this article, the photo session process will seem easier than before. You’ll be able to proudly pull out your passport at work or at the airport.
We’ll also explain how PhotoAiD®—an app rated 4.6 on Trustpilot—can make bad passport photos a thing of the past.
Related Reading:
Why do passport photographs make us appear unattractive?
Picture this:
You go to a photo studio, or photocopying center, to take a perfect passport photo. You get dressed up, fix your hair, do your makeup—it seems that the picture will be perfect. But then you get the final result, and it’s completely different from what you expected.
People often don’t appear the way they want in passport photos.
One of the reasons why is that they can’t relax in photo centers. Our passport photos turn out ugly, because we only have a couple of tries for the photographer to take the picture. Some of us are afraid to ask the photographer to take a photo again as we are in a very unfamiliar environment.
All of the people in the photo center seem to judge us because we take up their time. What if the pictures don’t come out right on the second try? Can we ask the photographer to do it a third and fourth time, just because we want the perfect shot?
While it’s okay to ask a photographer to take picture №5, it doesn’t mean that on the 5th try your passport picture will be perfect.
Many details can get in the way of getting the perfect passport photo—bad weather that ruined your mood and hairstyle, wrong outfit, or poor lighting; sometimes even the highest class photographers cannot make up for those.
Is there a way to take a good passport photograph?
Rule №1: If you want your passport photo to look good, some research will be necessary. Find out which option will work the best for you, whether it’s help from a photographer, or an online photo application.
When you know which photo session format suits you best, you can prepare for the photoshoot in advance, and boost your chances to take a beautiful passport photo.
Professional photographers know how to operate with lights and cameras to get good looking effects. The downside is that individuals have a limited number of attempts, need to get to the place (exposing themselves to wind), and there is usually no possibility to improve their looks.
With online tools, everyone can be a photographer, which means you can take as many photos as you wish—at any time and place—whether it’s your own room, a lunch break at work, or university.
Rule №2: Monitor your mood. Most of the time, people cannot hide their genuine emotions. If you feel that you’re not in a good mood, it’s better to move the day of the photoshoot to another one.
Otherwise, the passport photo may convey your bad mood from that day, and it will be impossible to fix; you’ll have to take your photo again.
Background and lighting in a passport photo
Lighting is one of the most important aspects of a passport photo, and it can significantly improve the way you look in the picture.
If you decide to take a passport photo by yourself, the lighting has to be good; your room must be nicely illuminated, preferably with natural light. The golden hours (the first hour after sunrise and the last before sunset) offer the perfect balance.
Consider taking your images with daylight or against a wall facing a window, as using standard home-lamps will cast shadows on your face.
The photo should not be too bright (this applies to glare and sunlight) and vice versa—not too dark
One of the best ways to get a passport photo (especially if you do it yourself) is to take a picture against a wall, facing a window. For the background, you can use a blanket that is neutral and lightly colored, or—if you can find one—a white wall.
There are, however, online photo converters that can automatically remove the background of your image and replace it with a plain white one. This enables you to take your passport photo in any favorable place, which means that you can look for the lighting that makes you look best with no regards to the background.
Am I allowed to smile in a passport photo?
You can smile slightly in a U.S. passport photo. However, opening your mouth and showing your teeth is forbidden.
The recommended facial expression for a passport photo is neutral. Applicants need to relax the muscles and look into the camera, without closing their eyes or frowning your forehead.
You can have a delicate smile but make sure not to show your teeth.
We, from the PhotoAiD® team, propose you take your U.S. passport photos both ways, with a delicate smile and a neutral expression, and see what works best for you.
PhotoAiD® can come in handy here, as it allows you to take an unlimited amount of photographs.Want to know more about smiling in a passport photo?
What beauty products can you use for your passport picture?
Despite the fact that modifying facial features in passport photos is not allowed, each of us wants to do our best to look good in the final picture.
Remember that you are taking an official photo, not going to the last party of your life, and the main purpose of such an image is to identify the passport holder.
Although in U.S. passport photos makeup is not banned—you should not overdo it. Consider putting aside:
- ❌False or extended eyelashes
- ❌Bright and shiny eyeshadow
- ❌Very colorful lipstick (red, orange, black etc.)
- ❌Strong self-tanner and foundations in colors different from your skin tone
- ❌Transferable face stickers
- ❌Very bright eyeliner
- ❌Face rhinestones.
U.S. authorities can refuse a passport application if your passport photo does not meet the official requirements.
Natural looking makeup can help you, and hide a few imperfections. Consider using:
- ✅A little foundation and concealer
- ✅Light pink blush
- ✅Transparent hygienic lipstick
- ✅Brown mascara.
If you have a pimple or other minor imperfection, makeup can be your savior.
But don’t put on too many cosmetics—the final result should be as natural and organic as possible.
Which hairstyle should you choose for a passport photo?
Speaking of hair, the only rule you have to keep in mind is that your hair should not cover your face, or go beyond the frame of the picture—tall hairstyles (for example, a tall ponytail) are not recommended.
If you have bangs, make sure that they do not obscure the line of your eyebrows and eyes.
If you want to take your photo with your hair loose, make sure you style it neatly so that no hair is sticking out.
Alt: Three examples of acceptable hairstyles for passport photos.
You can safely be photographed for a passport with the same hairstyle you do every day—there is no need for elegance. And a simple and casual hairstyle can actually work best for you.
What should you ignore while taking a passport photo?
Even if U.S. authorities don’t provide a specific passport photo dress code, the most important rule is not to overdo anything.
This regulation applies to makeup, hair, clothing, or accessories. Applicants don’t need to put on too many beauty products, or wear huge earrings to look good in the photo. You have to look as natural as possible.
Speaking of accessories, they are not prohibited in the passport photo, as long as they do not hide your facial features.
Except for religious reasons, the authorities prohibit wearing a head covering, such as headgear, beanies, and bandanas. You can wear hearing aids in your passport photo, but you must present a valid explanation for their daily usage (for example, an official medical statement from a doctor).
Interested in finding out more about the passport photo dress code?
Using photo-editing programs, such as Photoshop, should be treated with caution. For example, you can cover up a pimple, but removing crucial features of your face – such as scars, freckles, or wrinkles—is forbidden.
Snap an image for your passport by yourself
One of the main reasons why our passport photos look ugly is limited attempts to take a picture. Often applicants cannot verify how they look and improve the aspects that do not look good in the picture. Additionally, when a stranger takes a photo of you, it may be hard to focus on the expression of your face and relax.
Moreover, asking a photographer to retake your photo a hundred times, when you see a massive queue of people behind you who want to get a passport photo, is not a pleasant task, besides requiring additional expenses.
Therefore, we have found a solution to those challenges—take a passport photo yourself.
You will have the opportunity to ask your friend or a family member to take a photo of you. This way, there will be time to have as many tries as needed for you to take a perfect passport photo.
No more ugly passport photos: PhotoAiD®
Tired of bad passport photos?
PhotoAiD® is an online passport photo converter using an AI system that automatically checks every photo for compliance with official passport requirements. Furthermore, a human expert can confirm a passport photo’s validity.
With the help of this passport photo tool, everyone can take the pictures from their own house with full access to all of the necessary cosmetics or clothes they might need.
If you feel like the picture is not as appealing as you wish, you have the opportunity to change your look—comb your hair, fix your makeup or change your outfit. And then, to take the picture again.
By taking pictures with the PhotoAiD® app, you can be sure your photos will have a 100% compliance rate or you’ll have a 200% refund.
To know more:
- How to Take Passport Photo at Home
- How To Make a Passport Size Photo From Mobile
- How to Take a Passport Photo With An Android Phone?
- Taking Passport Photos with Your iPhone
FAQ
Let’s answer some questions and see what applicants can possibly do with ugly passport photos.
Why do I look puffy in photos?
Why are passport photos so unattractive?
Will officials approve my images if I take them by myself?
How can you appear your best in your passport picture?
Why do passport photos look so bad?
Can bad lighting make you look ugly?
How to look good in a passport photo?
Am I as ugly as I look in passport pictures?
How to look better in passport photos?
Second trick is to use a delicate matte foundation (especially if you are planning to go to a studio) to tone down the lamp reflections on your skin. Both men and women can put on a bit of makeup.
How to not look ugly in a passport photo?
What if I don’t like my passport picture?
What should you do if your passport picture turned out ugly—final thoughts
Passport photos often don’t turn out as good as we’d like them to. If you want your official photo to look attractive, you should understand which option will work the best for you.
You can book a visit to a professional photo studio or take passport photos comfortably at home by using an online tool such as PhotoAiD®.
