Passport Photos

[JoB]

Has anyone taken their own photo for their passport? Is it easy to get it right?
I paid extra for my local photography shop to take my son's photo and put it through a special system that confirms it will be accepted. It cost £9.99 with no printed photos, just a code.
The first time the passport office rejected it due to the lighting. The shop agreed to take another free of charge and put it through the same checks. Today the photo was rejected as my son was too high up in the frame.
I am thinking that I may be better off just taking the photo myself with my phone. Has anyone got any tips so that I can get this sorted as he will need a new ESTA too?
Thank you.

[Amy1989]

its annoying when that happens have you thought about asking the shop for anther photi I no my local place will take a free photo if its rejected

[JoB]

I was thinking of going back again but after two tries already I am not holding out much hope of them getting it right on the third attempt

[Amy1989]

Originally Posted by JoB

I was thinking of going back again but after two tries already I am not holding out much hope of them getting it right on the third attempt

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wow yeah I see you point I think maybe look online see if there are any app ects that can help

[WendyWilson]

I’d be asking for a refund! In answer to your question though, I took my friend’s photo for her passport on my iPhone. Just a plain whiteish background & I didn’t use the flash. I made sure it was a bright room and there were no shadows on her face. The website initially rejected the photo & said there were shadows on her face but we tried a few pics and couldn’t see any shadows whatsoever so we just chanced using the best pic. A week later her passport arrived! Judging your past problems, what’s the worst that could happen?

[Yordaman]

If you are applying for the passport online, you can take your own photos and, like you have found, the system will review your photo as part of the upload and let you know if it’s not suitable real-time. I had to take a few photos to get my daughter’s photo right, but I was able to do it all myself with a smartphone.

[Amy1989]

Originally Posted by WendyWilson

I’d be asking for a refund! In answer to your question though, I took my friend’s photo for her passport on my iPhone. Just a plain whiteish background & I didn’t use the flash. I made sure it was a bright room and there were no shadows on her face. The website initially rejected the photo & said there were shadows on her face but we tried a few pics and couldn’t see any shadows whatsoever so we just chanced using the best pic. A week later her passport arrived! Judging your past problems, what’s the worst that could happen?

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might try this for my sons did u use an app or just get positioning right

[Wizz]

We had ours done at max spielman, the initial check in the shop approved all 4 photos.
When I it then through the application 2 come up saying maybe rejected did I still want to proceed. I said yes and explained they had passed checks in the shops and I believed they passed all checks.
They were both approved.
Which point are your photos being rejected?

[JoB]

The passport office are rejecting them. I just enter the code from the photo shop and submit it for the online application. I did it again last night with the new code and the passport office sent a text and email this evening rejecting them. I think taking it myself seems like it will be a better option now. I will try natural light with no flash in the morning and see what happens.

[TheHughesCrew]

I have taken all of ours on my phone; me, hubby and 2 children. None rejected. Used an online processing site. Hold on...