When a camera is not a camera!

[+ sync]

Can someone please explain why when I'm photographed with friends/family in social situations, my camera image resembles a humanoid, but when I have to shell out like thirty bucks for official photos (passport photos recently), I resemble the Cryptkeeper's older sibling.

                               

[CuriousByNature]

My Costco card photo looks like I was pulled dead from a ditch, after being beaten with a club.

[marylander1940]

Surprisingly I love all my passport and ID photos!

[+ Just Chuck]

I had to get a new driver's license a year ago and was really disappointed when I went from a license with a really good picture to one with a very non-flattering photo.

[samhexum]

My license expires next month.  Last time I renewed they just used the previous picture from when I was at my absolute heaviest.  The upside of that is that whenever anyone has seen my license in the past sixteen years I have gotten a compliment about my weight loss (which was initially 105 pounds, which was mostly gained back for a bit but has been about 65 less than the pic for a few years).

[Nightowl]

Recent photographs of me are completely inaccurate.  I’m easily 30 years younger than the guy purporting to be me in those photos.

[+ JamesB]

Who knew fluorescent lighting, zero angles, and a bored government employee could be so artistically damaging? My DL photo looks like I blinked, sneezed, and lost all hope at the same time.

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

My driver license photo is perfect... The camera gave me my best hair day ever that day!

My Costco membership, on the other hand, looks like a prison mug shot.  To be fair, it didn't help that I was wearing an institutional orange shirt that day.

[Nightowl]

8 hours ago, Vegas_Millennial said:

My driver license photo is perfect... The camera gave me my best hair day ever that day!

My Costco membership, on the other hand, looks like a prison mug shot.  To be fair, it didn't help that I was wearing an institutional orange shirt that day.

Probably should have grabbed something from someone’s clothesline after you escaped from prison.

[Luv2play]

On 7/17/2025 at 10:28 AM, marylander1940 said:

Surprisingly I love all my passport and ID photos!

Me too. I look great. I assume since they are government they probably use a great camera. 
 

Thinking about it more, back in 1969 when I got my first passport I went to a photography studio where they took passport photos. 
Here in Canada now you go to a government service centre either provincial for drivers license, health card or federal for passport. They do the photos since now they must be aligned to strict criteria such as nonsmiling etc. 

Edited July 18 by Luv2play

[marylander1940]

19 minutes ago, Luv2play said:

Me too. I look great. I assume since they are government they probably use a great camera. 
 

Thinking about it more, back in 1969 when I got my first passport I went to a photography studio where they took passport photos. 
Here in Canada now you go to a government service centre either provincial for drivers license, health card or federal for passport. They do the photos since now they must be aligned to strict criteria such as nonsmiling etc. 

Here CVS and others 

[jeezifonly]

My naturally rosy hue is captured by gov cameras as 3rd day after chemical peel. 

[Luv2play]

46 minutes ago, marylander1940 said:

Here CVS and others 

CVS is a private entity isn’t it?

[+ sync]

On 7/17/2025 at 10:28 AM, marylander1940 said:

Surprisingly I love all my passport and ID photos!

You have garnered my ire!  

[+ sync]

On 7/17/2025 at 11:04 AM, Just Chuck said:

I had to get a new driver's license a year ago and was really disappointed when I went from a license with a really good picture to one with a very non-flattering photo.

Been there!

[+ poolboy48220]

15 hours ago, Luv2play said:

CVS is a private entity isn’t it?

CVS is a drug store (pharmacy) that also does photo processing.  I think I got my passport photo at a FedEx/Kinko's.

[+ sync]

 now

Just a follow-up/conclusion.  I received my new passport book today.  I thought the application photo was bad, well, the photo, as it appears in the new passport book, would prompt the villagers to make the sign of the Cross and shelter in place.