Glare and Red Eye in a Passport Photo: How to Avoid Them

Glare and red eye are lighting problems that are easy to miss on a small screen. A shiny forehead, a bright spot on the nose, a flash reflection from an earring or eyes that glow red can all be reasons for a passport photo to be rejected. Unlike some other problems, you cannot fix them by editing. The State Department expects you to take a new photo.

This guide covers what the official rules say, what causes each kind of glare, and how to set up light so it does not happen in the first place.

What the official rules say

• Red eye: the State Department says not to submit photos with red eye. Its internal rules (8 FAM 402.1-3) state that the red-eye effect is not acceptable in passport photographs.
• No editing red eye: do not use editing tools to cover up red eye, because this changes your natural eye color and shape. Adjust or turn off the flash, or take a new photo with natural lighting.
• Reflections: the Foreign Affairs Manual says lighting should be uniform with no reflections on the face.
• Exposure: lighting should not be so bright that the image is overexposed, and the photo should not look washed out.
• Eyes: the colored portions of your eyes, the pupils and irises, must be clearly visible.

Common glare problems at a glance

Red eye: why it happens and how to prevent it

Red eye appears when a flash fires close to the lens in a dark room. Your pupils are wide open, the light reflects off the back of the eye and the camera records it as a red glow. Phones and cameras are especially prone to it because the flash sits right next to the lens.

• Turn off the flash and use bright natural light from a window instead. This is the simplest fix and also helps with shadows.
• Brighten the room if you must use flash, so your pupils are smaller.
• Look at the lens, not the flash, and keep the camera several feet away.
• Retake, do not repair. Red-eye removal tools repaint the pupil, which is exactly the kind of change the State Department says not to make.

Glare and shine on skin

Shine on the forehead, nose and cheekbones happens when a small, hard light source reflects straight back into the lens. Flash is the usual cause, but a bare bulb or direct sunlight can do the same. In the photo, the brightest areas lose all detail and turn pure white, which hides the shape of your face. The State Department's examples show overexposed and unevenly lit faces as unacceptable.

• Use soft, indirect light: a window on an overcast day, or daylight that is not shining directly on you.
• Face the light so both sides of your face receive the same amount.
• Blot oily skin with a tissue right before the photo.
• If you normally wear makeup, a light matte powder reduces shine. Keep it to your everyday look; our guide on makeup and beards in passport photos explains what is fine.
• If your phone lets you, tap your face and lower exposure slightly when the forehead looks blown out.

Lighting setups for home photos are explained step by step in how to light a passport photo at home. The same setup also prevents the problems in our guide to passport photo shadows.

Taking the photo outdoors

Going outside seems like an easy way to get bright light, but direct sun is one of the worst light sources for a passport photo. It makes you squint, which can hide the irises the rules say must be clearly visible. It creates bright, shiny patches on the forehead and nose and hard shadows under the eyebrows, nose and chin. It can also wash out light skin tones and make the white background glare.

If you do shoot outside, stand in open shade, such as the shady side of a building, on a day with even light. Hang a plain white sheet behind you a few feet away, keep the sun out of the frame and out of your eyes, and check that both sides of your face are equally bright. In most cases, a large window indoors gives you more control and a more even result than the outdoors.

Jewelry and eyeglasses

Jewelry

The State Department allows jewelry and facial piercings as long as they do not hide your face. Shiny pieces can still catch light and create bright spots near the face, especially with flash. If an earring, necklace or nose ring flashes white in your test shot, take it off or change the angle of the light. You should also remove headphones and wireless hands-free devices, which are not allowed.

Eyeglasses

Glare on glasses used to be a common rejection reason. Today the rule is simpler: take off any eyeglasses, sunglasses or tinted glasses, and do not rest them on your head. If you cannot remove your glasses for medical reasons, the State Department asks for a signed note from your doctor with your application. Read the glasses rule and its medical exception for details.

Check your photo before you submit

1. Open the photo on a large screen and zoom in on the eyes. The pupils should be dark and the irises clearly visible.
2. Check your forehead, nose and cheeks for white patches with no skin texture.
3. Look for bright spots from jewelry or reflections that draw attention away from your face.
4. Compare both sides of your face for even brightness.
5. If anything fails, adjust the light and take a new photo instead of editing.

For every other reason a photo can fail, see why passport photos are rejected.