Therese

I was wearing a turtleneck in my last passport photo.

The issue with eyeglasses is that the photographer has to be careful that there's no reflection on the lenses that obscures or distorts your eyes in the photograph. My son wears glasses and the photographer (at Kinkos, so not a high end set up) tried several times, and finally we just took the picture without the glasses.

Jed

There is no prohibition against smiling.

http://www.travel.state.gov/passport...q/faq_881.html

"What pose should the photos show?
The photo should show a clear, front view, full face of the customer. The customer should be in normal street attire, without hat or dark glasses against a plain white or off-white background. The customer should have a natural expression, mouth closed, and eyes open and looking directly ahead."

LoveItaly

Oh my Patrick, you described the experience I and all my females classmates experienced when we had our senior graduation photos taken, lol. I hated my photo so much that some years ago I threw it away. Miserable experience!

Giovanna

Was St.Cirq thinking about California when her last passport photo was taken? Thus the look she describes.

marginal_margiela

This is funny because in my last passport photo I wore a turtleneck sweater.

Thingorjus

P_M

Patrick, I had to wear that awful drape in my senior photo. I was so afraid it would fall down!! I wonder how often that happens.

LoveItaly, I also threw out my senior photos.

luckygirl322

I was told I could not wear my glasses because of 'regulations'.

Since I wear them all the time, and I've had several passports (all pictures with my glasses), I told the photographer that I would wear them in the photo, and we'd see what happened. He wasn't happy, but he went ahead and took the photo.

I just got my new passport a few months ago...no problems at all.

Aduchamp1

Everybody knows turtlenecks are an Al Qaeda fashion faux pas.

Jeff801

I believe the late Irma Bombeck offered the most trenchant observation on this topic, "When you start looking like your passport photo, it's time to go home."

elaine

I was just about to quote Erma Bombeck myself. Love that one!

Worktowander

I'm guessing that many of these in-store photogs (who undoubtedly spend most of their days checking people out or stocking shelves) are confusing the rules for passport photos and other photos - such as for green cards.

The rules for immigration IDs are very strict, including a requirement on showing a full view of a certain ear, etc.

julies

worktowander--

Your'sis probably the most cogent explanation of all. After all, this was Costco. Clerks there usually process pictures and wait on customers in the department.