Hi.
My 4-year-old son used a professional photographer to take passport photos for his French passport renewal. The shadow of his head is visible in the background although there are no shadows on his face. The shadow is neither harsh nor soft; I would say medium. Do you think that the photo will be rejected?
I pointed the shadow out to the photographer, who said that it shouldn’t be a problem, but I have my doubts.
Thanks for your help.
The only way you will find out is to submit it. We can’t comment here. If it’s ok, then the photographer is right. If it’s not ok then you can go back to him and ask him to do it again.
I renewed my passport last year, I had to do it online because I’m not in the UK.
You have to take your own photo and it took ages to get one with no shadow on my face. Even then, there was a bit of shadow under my chin but we submitted it to the website and it was accepted. We did a photo of my torso, not just my face, as instructed and it was accepted. Then they cropped it.
Hello @live.forever and welcome to the forum. Perhaps you could tell us a little about yourself as an introduction… ?
Meanwhile, re the photo.. as you’ve used a professional (presumably French) photographer to take it.. that person should be au fait with what will be acceptable to the French PPort folk. if there had been any doubt, I would have expected the professional to take another photo.
When we had official photos done by a Professional French Photographer, we were given several so we could make our own choice (although we were told they were all OK) but things may have changed recently.. no idea.
best of luck
Very enterprising of the 4 year-old to sort himself out a pro photographer. Very young for a passport renewal though…
Exactly what I thought, on both counts. I think it must be a typo ?
Me three, but couldn’t think how to word it - nicely done @vero
Thanks for all of your advice so far.
I accompanied my 4-year-old son to the photographer’s to clarify.
He received his first French passport when he was 7 months old, and his passport is valid for 5 years, so it’s due for renewal.
Child passports renew at 5 years.
Yes, but he’s 4 
Obviously a forward planner. He will go far in life. 
He’ll be five years old in a few weeks, and his passport expires later on this year.
Professional (non-French) photographer here:
If there is a shadow behind your head in a photo it means the photographer had you stand too close to the background.
That’s all.
I would be asking for it to be taken again on the grounds of incompetence, or for the shadow to be edited out (probably a fairly trivial job in Photoshop).
Must be as I can normally manage it.