Photography is, as William Eggleston used to say, the most democratic of the arts because pretty much anyone can do it. But photography is also the most democracy-destroying of art because almost anyone can do it badly. Even the best photographers make lots of amateur mistakes.
When your id photo is made public, the way you look matters. It affects how you are perceived, and affects how people treat you. Getting a good photo is hard. The faces on id photos are usually not attractive, but they are memorable. The way you look in your id photo should be memorable, and the way you look in your real photos should be familiar.
Important Tips for Your ID Photos
When you are asked to produce a photo ID, you need to make the decision whether to take your photograph at home or to send it out to a service that produces ID photos.
The ID photo is such a small part of the identity. It presents yourself to the world. It’s how you’re going to present yourself to your government. So it’s very important to get it right because you’re going to be identified with that photo for the rest of your life.
Here are some tips.
1. Get a good background.
Backgrounds are easier than you think. You don’t need an expensive studio. You don’t need a big, heavy tripod. In fact, you don’t have to use a tripod at all. All you need are some simple, inexpensive props.
Natural light usually works pretty well, but some people have trouble with it. You may want to use a small reflector, or increase the contrast slightly in postproduction.
2. Get yourself comfortable.
Sitting down, if you have to, is better than standing. Being straight is better than bending over. Being relaxed is better than being stiff.
3. Take ID photos in natural light
Even on cloudy days, the light outdoors will usually bring out enough contrast that you won’t have to worry about squinting or fighting shadows.
4. Take ID photos with the camera on manual mode
The automatic setting tends to overexpose the subject, especially in bright light.
5. Take plenty of pictures
The more pictures you take, the more chances you have of getting the best shot. It’s just like in photography: the best pictures are those where the subject is sharply focused. But cameras don’t focus very well on faces.
6. Take pictures against different backgrounds
Don’t just pick a plain background. Choose a background with an interesting pattern.
7. Take pictures in several different lighting settings
Bright light doesn’t work, but low-light pictures can be too grainy.
8. Get something pointing toward your face
A shadow will help, especially if you’re indoors.
9. Get a simple background.
A plain wall, a plain floor, a nondescript background, anything that’s not distracting.
I hope these tips will help you to take better ID photos. Also, check out fake id photo tips.
Importance of ID photos
• ID photos also help me remember the country. It is one thing to read an attractive description of a place, but it is another to see pictures of people you recognize, or of places you visited.
• The pictures also help me remember things the guidebooks gloss over. A good guidebook can tell you the names of the famous temples, but it can’t show you a picture of the temple. An ID photo can.
• But if I get a picture of something that isn’t there, I can show it to someone who was there. And when I return, I can bring that picture with me, and show it to someone who wasn’t there.
• ID photos also help me remember things I took pictures of, but forget. When I get home, I scan the pictures in the camera and make a little slide show. It helps me remember what I saw, and helps me remember places I want to visit again.
• ID photos also help me remember things I saw but forgot. On the way to the airport, as I review the photos, I often see things that I forgot to take pictures of. ID photos allow me to remember these things too.
• ID photos also help me remember things I saw but didn’t take pictures of.
