How to Take a Baby or Child Passport Photo

Photo Guide · 4 min read · Updated: 2026-07-03

Photographing a baby is harder than an adult, but the rules are slightly more forgiving:

Method: on a white sheet

1. Lay the baby on a plain white sheet (daytime, near a window).
2. Shoot from directly above without casting your own shadow.
3. Alternative: cover a car seat with a white cloth and seat the baby in it — the cloth must hide the seat pattern completely.

Rules

• Eyes open, mouth closed — newborns (up to ~6 months for the US) may get some tolerance on fully open eyes; still, open is safest.
• No supporting hands. Hands, arms or laps holding the baby must not appear.
• No pacifiers, toys or hats; nobody else in the frame.
• Head-ratio rules apply to babies too — our tool finds the baby's face and sets the crop automatically.

Take many shots (10–20) and pick the sharpest; nailing focus on the first try rarely happens with babies.

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