Infant passport photos have to satisfy nearly the same geometry as an adult's — plain background, face square to the camera, head a specified height in the frame, nobody else in shot — with a subject who cannot sit up, hold still, or be asked to look at the lens.
This page is about technique. For the exact size and head-height figures your country requires, see baby passport photo requirements.
The method that works: shoot from above
Do not try to prop the baby up. Instead:
- Spread a plain white sheet, blanket or towel on the floor or a bed. Smooth out the wrinkles — creases read as background clutter and can fail the uniform-background rule.
- Lay the baby on their back on the sheet, in soft daylight. A room with a large window works; avoid direct sun, which produces harsh shadows and makes babies squint.
- Stand over the baby and hold the camera directly above the face, lens parallel to the face — not angled in from the side. This is what produces the required front-on view.
- Take a great many photos. Twenty or thirty is not excessive; you need one frame with the eyes reasonably open, the head straight and the mouth closed.
- Crop afterwards to the required size with the correct head height.
Shooting from above solves the two hardest problems at once: the baby cannot slump, and the sheet gives a genuinely plain, evenly-lit background with no shadow behind the head.
Keep hands out of the frame
No part of another person may appear in the photo — a very common reason infant photos are refused. Supporting hands, an arm at the edge, a shadow cast by whoever is holding the camera all count.
Lying the baby down removes the need to support them. If you must have someone steady the head, they need to be entirely outside the crop, and you should check the final frame corner by corner before submitting. A car seat or bouncer is not a good alternative: the fabric shows behind the head and the background fails.
Eyes: the rule is more forgiving than you think
The United States does not require the eyes to be open for children under one year. This is the single most useful thing to know, and it removes most of the difficulty for newborn photos.
Other authorities vary: some publish the same allowance for infants, others expect open eyes but apply the rule with evident latitude. Aim for open eyes, and if you are photographing a newborn for a U.S. passport, do not lose an afternoon to it.
What is not relaxed anywhere: no pacifier or dummy, no toys or blankets over the face, no other people, and the face must be unobstructed by hair or hands.
Expression, and getting the head straight
A neutral expression is preferred but a natural one is generally accepted for infants — nobody expects a composed newborn. The mouth should ideally be closed, which in practice means catching the moment between yawns.
For a straight head, have someone stand behind you at the baby's eye line and make a noise to draw the gaze upward towards the lens. Do the photographing while the baby is calm — after a feed and a nap is far more productive than before one.
Older babies and toddlers
Once a child can sit unsupported, the lying-down method stops working — they will roll or reach. Sit them against a plain light wall, well away from it so no shadow falls behind, and get an adult to stand beside you rather than behind the child. For toddlers the practical constraint is duration: work in short bursts, and expect to try again another day rather than pushing a tired child.
Before you submit
Check the whole head is in frame with the crown inside the crop; the background is white and even, with no wrinkles or shadow; no hands, arms or other people are visible anywhere including the corners; the face is front-on and not angled; and the photo is sharp. Then crop to size:
Frequently asked questions
How do you take a passport photo of a newborn?
Lay the baby on their back on a plain white sheet in soft daylight, hold the camera directly above with the lens parallel to the face, and take twenty or thirty frames to get one usable one. Shooting from above gives a front-on view and an even background with no shadow behind the head, and removes any need for supporting hands in shot.
Do a baby's eyes need to be open in a passport photo?
Not for U.S. passport photos of children under one year — the Department of State does not require infants' eyes to be open. Other authorities vary, so aim for open eyes, but for a newborn U.S. passport this removes most of the difficulty.
Can I hold my baby in their passport photo?
No. No part of another person may appear in the photo, including supporting hands, an arm at the edge of the frame, or a shadow cast by the photographer. Laying the baby on a white sheet removes the need to hold them.
Can a baby have a pacifier or toy in a passport photo?
No. Pacifiers, dummies, toys and anything covering the face are not permitted, in any country. The face must be fully visible and unobstructed.
Can I use a car seat or bouncer for a baby passport photo?
It is a poor choice, because the fabric appears behind the head and fails the plain-background requirement. A plain white sheet on a flat surface, photographed from above, works far better.