Going to such shooting in a photo salon, most people do not think about their appearance. These photos are not intended for social networks, which means that only a narrow circle of people will see them if necessary. This is a major mistake, as a passport photo can and should be beautiful!

Try taking a photo at home if you don’t want to leave the house to do it. Get free photo here in this service. It offers images that meet the requirements set forth by the authorities for a document photograph. You receive a passport photo that complies with all legal requirements. Compatibility is checked on each image. AI and an immediate cutting function are used to automatically alter and verify photos. All you have to do is make a snapshot with your smartphone or submit a picture to the free app.

Top mistakes when shooting for documents

As a rule, the help of the photographer in the salon consists of an additional take and minimal editing of the photo. Therefore, the success of a photo for documents depends on you. To prevent spoiled pictures, avoid the following mistakes.

  1. Visiting a photo studio after a sleepless night. If you didn’t get enough sleep due to insomnia or a wild party, it’s best to postpone the shoot for another day. Traces of fatigue, bags under the eyes, and a swollen face will spoil the photo. ID photos are taken full-face with minimal retouching, so your natural look will remain the same in the photo. You can look for inspiration in passport photos of famous people from all over the world.
  2. Spontaneous shooting. It is best to plan your visit to the photo studio in advance so that you have time to prepare.
  3. Drastic changes in appearance. A new hairstyle, extreme make-up, or beauty injections in the form of lip augmentation or permanent make-up are best done in advance. Photographers recommend doing all new facial manipulations for 1.5-2 weeks before visiting the photo salon so you can get used to the result or have time to redo everything.
  4. Try not to eat unfamiliar food before photoset, so as not to provoke allergies or skin rashes.
  5. Try to avoid stress. Excitement and tension can make you look like a stiff person in a picture. Photos will look as unnatural as possible. Do not be afraid of a bright flash and try to keep your face relaxed.
  6. Do not make pursed lips. A common problem with photos for documents is pursing lips when you distort the facial features in the photo. The face will look different.
  7. Take off headphones, sunglasses, and hats. These accessories are prohibited for ID photos. An exception is a covered head for religious reasons.
  8. If you already have an appropriate photo, ensure there are no watermarks. If there are – you can remove watermarks from photos.

Lifehacks for good photos

By avoiding mistakes when shooting photos for documents, you get good photos. But to make them even better, use these lifehacks.

  1. Get a neat haircut. Men should comb their hair, and girls should style their hair in the usual way. Unruly hair can be smoothed with a styling product or collected in a high ponytail. No need to make evening curls or a solemn bun with strands released from the face.
  2. In makeup choose pastel colors. Use concealer to cover under-eye circles, mattifying powder, a little sculptor to shape the face, light shadows, eyeliner, mascara, eyebrow pencil, and lipstick to match the lips (or color that is up to 1-2 shades darker). Such makeup will emphasize the beauty and will not look catchy in photographs;
  3. Wear monochromatic clothing. Variegated shades of fabrics are not suitable for ID photos. It is better to choose plain clothes or a combination of several basic colors (black, dark blue, brown, dark green). Since the photo is taken on a white background, clothes of the same color may blend into this background.
  4. Do not wear outfits with an abundance of rhinestones, bright embroidery, and shiny buttons. Shiny elements create unnecessary glare in the photo.
  5. Do not wear low-cut clothing. The neckline is not suitable for ID shots. Also, avoid clothes with bare shoulders or barely visible straps.
  6. Wear minimum jewelry. You don’t have to wear all the jewelry in your jewelry box. Earrings and a thin chain with a pendant will be enough.
  7. Do not tilt your head while shooting. Keep your posture and head straight, so your face will not be distorted.
  8. Do not retract your chin. By lowering your head down and pressing your chin towards you, in the photo you add a few years and a couple of kilograms to yourself.
  9. Many models use interesting face hacks during photo shoots. They press their tongue against the palate, thereby straining the cheekbones. So the oval of the face looks taut.
  10. Try to smile easily and naturally. Remember that on official documents a big smile is not welcome.
  11. Look only into the camera lens, without being distracted by the photographer, reflectors, or the decor of the photo salon.

If you do not like the photo on the camera screen, do not hesitate to tell the photographer about it. It is better to fix the picture right away than to look at it with dissatisfaction several years later.

ID shots are noticeably different from other types of photography which need to be shot in a more creative way. In this case, both the model and the photographer are devoid of creative ideas and ideas, and makeup and clothes have strict limits. But despite this, a photo for documents also requires preparation. Using our lifehacks you will change the usual idea of ​​​​photos for documents.

Also Read: How To Remove Watermarks From Photos