Taking passport photos myself - sizes?

[Kinoko]

I have to get some passport photos done but instead of spending whatever ridiculous amount to get them taken at a photo place, I want to do what a friend did and take them myself, make a template with the photos spreadout and print them out at one of those computer things they have for you to print your own photos out. (I'm so up on the technical words). It's a much cheaper option and I can take as many photos myself and pick the one I want.

I've asked my friend the measurements he used, and he told me a 300dpi page, 1800x1200 pixels (6x4"), 4 photos by 2 on the page, with individual photos being 3x4cm portrait.

The only thing that doesn't fit is the 3x4cm portrait, so I just divided 1800 by 4 and 1200 by 2 to get that size.

It works now, but I just wanted to ask if this seems right, and if anyone has done this sort of thing before.

[Evil]

Isn't it something like 72 pixels an inch?

[Vince Twelve]

This might help:

http://www.dpchallenge.com/tutorial.php?TUTORIAL_ID=22

[edmundito]

I'm not sure about Australia, but in the United States I think there's these crazy laws that the pictures must be taken at a studio by a professional, and they even use a professional disposable Polaroid camera so that you can't duplicate or tinker with any negatives. Or that's what the guy at the store said!

[dgunpluggered]

The laws are very similar in Australia. Kinoko, you can take them yourself but there's a big risk there. My mum once got her passport photos taken at this el cheapo place that was like 4 or 5 bucks for the photos. The problem was they didn't know what the hell they were doing and took the photos of her head turned just very slightly to the left. Her application was rejected.

There's very strict regulations to follow in terms of size, how much of your head takes up the photo, whether your head is even slightly tilted (if it is, they reject it). It's best to get a proper professional to do it. Most photo places aren't that expensive. You can get good quality passport photos for $10-15. They're worth it cause the people taking them know exactly what needs to be done.

[Kinoko]

I have the sizes sorted now ^_^

Well, I think I can do a good job with the photos myself, I know the requirements for the actual photo, and I already have a passport photo to compare it to. This isn't for a passport, it'll probably end up on my 'foreigner card' in Japan.

[Vince Twelve]

Oh right.  I remember these photos.  I don't know what the hell they used them for.  The only time I saw my photo again was on a big "Well Come Mr. Vincent" sign at the airport.  And let me tell you, if I had known that they were going to blow that picture up and put it on a sign, I would have taken my own.  Yikes.

They were also going to use the pic for the official Okinawan JET website, but they gave me the option of giving them an alternate picture, which I of course did immediately.

As for your gaijin card, they have passport photo booths outside of just about every convenience mart.  They had me take my picture there (and it turned out waaaay better than my actual "professional"  passport photo.  Hmm... better quality at 1/15th the price?  And no need to deal with any incompetent human employees?  These Japanese are on to something...

So anyways, my advice is to not worry too much about the pics.

[Privateer Puddin']

Wait, here (uk) we can just go into a photo booth and pay like, £4..

[Vince Twelve]

You brilliant Brits!  America (and Australia?) are so backwards...

[Haddas]

You can take any half-assed photo of you. They resize and make it b&w for you. atleast in Porvoo it's only recommended to bring a B&W photo.

[SSH]

I recently took my whole family's passport photos at home, and they were accepted OK by the Spanish consulate and UK Passport office. The leaflet that came with the passsport application form gave all the necessary details for photos and said that if using a digital camera, the print must be at least 600dpi, but that was all, I think.