Passport photo - professional or DIY

[Soggychip]

I need to renew my passport. How difficult is it to take your own photo (PhotoBooths locally aren’t in use)? There’s a Max Spielmann near me and they’ll take one. Is it worth paying the £10 for them to do it or is it easy to take a selfie that would be accepted ?

It's really easy to take your own with a smartphone. Just follow the rules, no hat, no smile, hair off face and so on. If it's no good, they will let you know very quickly when you submit it.

Can someone take it for you using your phone?

I took my DDs last week. The online system says whether it is acceptable or not.

We are having to retake one. However the problem seems to be her very pale skin tone.

I did my own. The hardest part was getting no shadows. It was accepted (even though if I remember it said it wasn’t optimum when I up loaded it if I remember).

Do your own. Stick some white paper on the wall behind you.

Selfie, hard.
Getting someone else to take one for you at home, easy.

I got someone to take my photo on my mobile sitting in front of a clean light gray wall.
Accepted on the Web site straight away, very easy to do
Never will I pay for a passport photo again

We tried at home but even if we took any pictures down, it was impossible to find a blank bit of wall with no shadow.

So the booth at Asda it was.

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

I took my DDs last week. The online system says whether it is acceptable or not.

We are having to retake one. However the problem seems to be her very pale skin tone.

My DS1's was repeatedly rejected bc they said his head was on one side - when in fact he has a rather lopsided face with one ear higher than the other (most of us do actually but his is noticeable). In the end I got him to actually tilt his head (the other way obvs) and it was fine :)

Agree OP not a selfie but get someone to do it

I found it difficult - tried a booth, but I can't read instructions without my glasses and thought it wouldn't work. Paid £8 at Fujifilm locally no problem. I would have persisted at home if there hadn't been a handy local place though.

Thanks this is really helpful. I didn’t realise that the photo can be rejected/approved as soon as you upload it. I’ll try at home and if I’m getting nowhere get it taken at the print place. All my walls are white but not sure I can find a bit without shadows. Especially as it’s currently like dusk outside.

I’ve always done my own, my passport photo was taken but my DD (child). Make a light reflector by wrapping tinfoil around some cardboard to help give better definition and reduce shadows