non-white background passport photo
So here's an interesting question. To process all the various documentations, I am required to bring 12 sets of passport photos with me next Tuesday. No big deal there. However, they have to be against a non-white background. In the States, passport photos are specifically taken against a white background. In doing a quick Google, I read a lot of horror stories of people who are trying really hard to leave America for various places, and need non-white background passport photos but can't find a place that will take them.
Any thoughts on how I can meet the requirement? One idea I had was going to Costco and asking them to take the photo against the red backdrop used for membership photos. Or going to Walmart and asking them to use a plain backdrop from the one-hour portrait photo place. Would either of these solutions suffice?
The thing I'm getting caught up on is what color I should have as my backdrop, then. Is there a standard, or would the red, or a blue work?
Happy Happy-- in the States, you need white background for the passport. The photos are also slightly larger. In fact, thank you for bringing that up, as it reminds me that I'll have to cut the photos down a bit. Better do that today...
Here is how I solved the problem.
I'm a Costco member, and they have a non-white background screen they use to take membership photos at the desk. In fact, the background is a nice light blue, as I remembered. I called into Costco and went to the one-hour photo desk. I explained what I needed and suggested the membership photo backdrop. As the one-hour people use a digital camera you can carry, it was no problem to walk over to the membership counter and take the photo.
But as the States uses white, I just wasn't quite sure what the other default color for 'non white background' was, or if there was a color I definitely shouldn't use (black, puke orange, whatever).
You go to a stationery shop and buy a large sheet of coloured card and a packet of blu-tack, then you go to the photographer and explain the situation. It worked for me.
I take the foto, edit it, and then save it on flash disk, then give it to the shop and the person in charge there prints it...
climbing the walls-coz i miss you
All I know that it is a requirement to have a white background photo to issue a visa to any country in Europe. It is also smaller in size than the regular passport photo.
I don't know about the US requirement for that matter.
Good luck
Salam
Yep, if I had photoshop as well as a proper printer and the time, I'd perhaps do my own. But as I'm getting reimbursed anyway for the photos, may as well have the shop do them.
Cheers for the responses. I have to drive at least 50 miles one-way to have this done (yep, really), and I'm going that way today, so I didn't want to make a special trip. So definitely appreciate the quick feedback before I leave.
Since I know blue/red are okay, preferably blue but could do red in a pinch, it'll all work itself out. And, for all I know, I might encounter a photographer who knows what I'm talking about. Which would be pretty helpful.
as far as I know - any other color should do. The normally used colors are blue red etc as back ground. Its safer with these colors.
AR
" Life is not a party we hoped for, but while we are here, we might as well dance! "
I take my own pics, using my own 10 mega pixel Sony :P, then use fotoshop to add any color and it looks better than the original. The backdrop should be blue, and they normally allow red, but go for blue which is the safest.
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climbing the walls-coz i miss you