ePassportPhoto.com Review

Taking our own baby passport pics

I was a bit skeptical of epassport.com for a number of reasons, but mostly because their prices aren't up front. To me, they lead on as though they are a free service, but as it turns out, they cost $7.99 for two passport photos, just like the cheaper chain options. It seemed to me that it was like taking your passport pictures yourself, but paying for them to double check.

In summary, I would recommend ePassortPhoto.com. Here's why:

The cost is the same as the cheapest photo service, even at the big chains: Currently $7.99 for the first, then 20% off the second. You can have them sent to you, or pay for the same day pick up option, as I did, and end up paying for a 4x6 and tax. My total was $.41 for the two.

Don't think they'd take this one...

It is very reassuring knowing that after all the struggle to get baby passport pictures, there is a 99%+ chance they will be approved.


It was very easy. Not that photo kiosks or online photo services are that difficult, but for some reason a task that ought to take a minute or two always takes 15 minutes and is frustrating because something always goes wrong, especially at the in store kiosks. For an average 4x6, no biggie, but for official passport/visa photos, everything has to be regulation so you do have to keep at it until it is just perfect.

The "studio"

This is how it worked for me:

1. After failed attempts at a couple chain locations, and determined not to spend the fees of a professional photographer, I went onto www.epassportphoto.com.
2. Based on theirs and suggestions of many websites, I bought a piece of plain, non-shiny white tag board.  In our brightest artificially lit room, I taped the tag board to the wall so it was the right height for James (19 months.) My husband and I practiced showing him how to stand and look at the camera without smiling. We snapped tons of pictures and caught a couple decent ones. Unfortunately our best had a huge shadow (it was before we'd figured out the best lighting.)
3. I uploaded it to their facebook page, where an expert confirmed there was too much shadow. As a side note, depending on your facebook settings, all of your friends can see and comment on this picture. If you haven't dropped the "we may be moving abroad" bomb to your loved ones, this could blow you cover. My mother's 60-something year old bestie saw it and told my mother.
4. I toyed with the lighting and shadows on my scrapbooking/digital photo organizing software (Creative Memories Memory Manager) and did my best corrections.
5. The doctored photo was uploaded to ePassportPhoto.com and I dragged their box over the picture to confirm the size was to regulation. 
6. When I got to the final page, I saw how much the cost was for the first time, but went for it anyway. 
7. I chose to pick it up from the store because I didn't want to wait for the 5-10 shipping.

Upon getting the discount, I decided to use ePassportPhoto.com for Caterina's picture, too. I mean, it wasn't going to be cheaper anywhere else and if she had bouts of the newborn wailing, at least it would just be in my home. For Caterina (1 month,) I:

That was easy!

1. Laid the tagboard over a thick baby blanket on the bed so it wouldn't wrinkle/crease. She laid in the middle.
2. She actually cooperated and I got several really cute shots that were good with lighting and shadows. The best photo was uploaded to ePassportPhoto.com and I dragged their box over the picture to confirm the size was to regulation.
   When I got to the final page, I saw how much the cost was for the first time, but went for it anyway. 
3. Again, chose to pick it up from the store because I didn't want to wait for the 5-10 shipping.

 See how much easier it is when the baby cooperates?

I got emails confirming the orders, then confirming that the pictures were "resolved" which apparently means, ready. Or as it turns out, it took 2 days. The store was having issues with their machine, but no big deal - it wasn't the website's fault, but it would be nice if they would have waited to "resolve" the order, it would have saved me a trip.

That wasn't as easy

Where we are today and how we got here (the short story)

James is born, January 2011

After meeting in Washington, DC where we both had our first jobs after undergraduate school, my husband and I were getting paperwork in order to Teach English as a Foreign Language in China. Before meeting, we’d both had experiences abroad. My husband had studied in Australia. I had studied in Germany, Namibia, Mexico and China. We were eager to live in China long enough to learn language and acclimate somewhat. My semester-long experienced had proved far too short. We were preparing for at least two or three years in China.

We ended up in Delaware, instead. My husband completed a Ph.D. in renewable energy technologies (solar) and I worked at the University and earned a Master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language. We thought we were set to live and work anywhere. Our next move brought us to upstate New York for a 2 year position that ends early this winter. Somehow our moves never turn out to be as exotic as our dreams.

Our son was born in January 2011. We are expecting a little girl this summer, July 2012. With my husband’s contract ending, we will be moving with two babies under 2-years old this winter. It’s just that at this point, we have no idea where in the world we will all be moving.

Commencement

At this blog’s commencement, it may be easiest to state what this blog is not.  This is not a family/friends update blog. Rather, I am hoping to draw together a community of like minded individuals (who may also be addicted to travel and/or have ants in their pants too) who have similar dreams for their own future, or their family's future.

As our family grows, (we have a 15 month old son and are expecting a little girl in July, ) we weigh career options and examine our goals, which include raising multilingual children with broad experiences, we will look at options abroad, in Washington DC (our city-crush) and more affordable middle of the road destinations.

Since this really just beginning, it is possible that this blog will morph into how a person like me (a mom with ants in her pants) deals with the yearn to travel, but fiscal and family constraints and tries to instill values and perspectives from a more average domestic location. But my current hope is that the blog journals an exciting journey abroad!