Tips and Criteria for Photos

Criteria

Approved Photos

Rejected Photos

Current color photo in jpg format Neutral color and smooth, solid background Centered and front view of full face Cropped from just above the top of the head to the collarbone Not too dark, bright, close, or distant Eyes open and visible Wear prescription glasses if you normally do so Photo size between 300KB to 2MB

Wear hats, sunglasses, or other items that obscure your face Glare on glasses; closed eyes Someone/something other than yourself in the photo Blurry Photos Black and White photos Photos with your hand resting on your face Crop off the top of your head or side angle your face Head tilted or a profile view Comical or inappropriate photos or gestures Heavily filtered photos (this will affect the photo file size

Tips for the perfect photo:

File Type:

If your photo shows that it is a .jpg/.jpeg, but you are receiving the error message that the “Photo must be a .jpg”, then your photo was taken in high efficiency mode.

Newer iPhones take images in what is known as a “high efficiency” mode. This results in a high-quality image, but the file will save it as .heic instead of .jpg/.jpeg. It will, however, show the file in your Photos as a .jpg, which is what you are seeing. To change this:

1. 1. Open ‘settings’ on your iPhone.
   2. Then, tap on ‘camera’.
   3. Choose ‘formats’, from the onscreen options.
   4. Select the ‘most compatible’ format.
   5. Take a new photo of yourself.
   6. Submit the new photo.

If you would like to revert your settings back to these “high efficiency” photos, simply go back into the camera settings and change the format back.

 

Sizing:

• Your photo must be less than 2MB. If not, your photo is too big.

The easiest option is to crop the photo.  It needs to be cropped to show the collarbone to the top of your head. Be sure not to crop off any of your head, including your hair.

• Your photo must be greater than 300KB. If not, it will be too small.

The easiest option is to retake the photo. Photos that are too small when resized and submitted will appear blurry and stretched.

 

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