Passport Photo Gong Show

[Granger]

Husband and 2 little ones needed passport photos. Little ones are 16 months and 2 months. Yesterday we pack up the family of four to get the mission accomplished.

Stop 1: Local CAA (we are member and get a discount there): "Sorry we don't do young children. We don't have the proper equipment." (Really? Are you sure you don't mean you don't like doing passport photos for young children?) "We can photograph you, sir." (No thanks, we'll take our business where they will photograph ALL of our family members.)

Stop 2: Local Portrait Studio (as suggested by CAA worker as a family-friendly option): "Our photographer is with a client right now. It would be an hour wait." (Apparently only one person knows how to operate a camera at this location which advertises passport photos from the window).

Stop 3: Sears Portrait Studio: Sign that reads "Out for lunch, back by 3 pm." (Okay, this is getting ridiculous, but at least we are at a mall and can walk around a bit). At 3 pm we return to find a new sign "Out of ink. No passports." (SERIOUSLY? We packed up and drove around to three different places with 2 under 2 and kept them happy for 2 hours!!! This was three strikes you're out).

Today we went to Wal-Mart Portrait Studio (who I phoned in advanced and who said drop-in, no appointment, no problem) and they were FANTASTIC. The whole ordeal took a total of 15 minutes, including settling a 16 month old who did not want to leave daddy. They used a puppet and took the photo with her sitting on daddy's knee (hint hint CAA no special equipment needed). We should have went to them in the first place, although they were a little further out of the way. Yay for happy endings.

[greencanuck]

I have used Shopper's Drug Stores with success for passport photos.
Easy to access, and a fair price.

[torontogal12]

wow big difference. I had a passport photo from sears rejected at the scarb town centre passport office. Office said it had "lines" on it (curtains behind my head in the photo). She sent me to some random local place in the mall and they accepted that photo. Passport photos are so hit and miss, sorry you had to run around!

[hollyquaiscer]

Wow, gong show is right. I always get mine taken at Costco. I took my grandson there last week to get his done too. They charge $6 and you never have to wait, in and out in minutes. I haven't had a photo rejected yet either

[momof5boys]

Used Sears the last time for our passport photos and this will be the LAST TIME using Sears. The passport office hummed and hawed whether or not they could accept the photos....I traveled an hour to get to this office and they wanted me to have all our seven family members redone. I somehow sweet talked the guy into using the photos...phew!

[torontogal12]

Got rejected, and they are $10 more expensive too than other places. At least Sears will refund you if you told them it got rejected

Used Sears the last time for our passport photos and this will be the LAST TIME using Sears. The passport office hummed and hawed whether or not they could accept the photos....I traveled an hour to get to this office and they wanted me to have all our seven family members redone. I somehow sweet talked the guy into using the photos...phew!

[Shwa Girl]

OP, like you, we found that the big Walmarts with the photo studios are good for passport photos. One in Oshawa opened at 7 AM! Very convenient.

[marstec]

We had ours done at Superstore...they were alright, no problem with them being rejected - they seem a little dark though. We're getting new ones next year, it's funny to see the children so young-looking in their old ones! I remember traveling with my daughter in the early 90's when children weren't even required to have a passport.

My local Shoppers is always busy doing passport photos...they must do a good job...it can't be for the ambiance, they are done in a cramped spot right beside the photo electronics area.

[slayer_glade]

My friends have gone to Walmart before and never had any problems. I've gotten mine done at Jean Coutu here (pharmacy) and they were perfect. I've seen Pharmaprix (Shoppers) get a lot of business, too, so they must be good, too.

[neelkamalll1979]

I used to take passport pics, its very hard, kids pics are the worst. Sorry OP you had to go through that.

[c_mcarthur]

i went to walmart as well to get my passport photos done, it was fast,cheap and we didnt have to wait at all.

[RebeccaRYoung]

I went to Japan Camera a couple of months ago for passport photos. They were the cheapest in the area, and they did a decent job.

[alicia]

Got mine done at Sears when it was over 40 humidex out. Suffice to say I had a bit of a shine, but I put some powder on... Still got rejected. Going to try Costco next time.

[xox2010]

I thought for sure my photo was going to be rejected for my passport - I was surprised when my passport came in the mail, to say the least. (I got mine done at Loblaws.)

Glad to hear Wal-mart was accommodating OP!

[Miss_April]

Glad to hear you got it all sorted it!

I got my passport photos done at Blacks last month. It was fast, inexpensive and they made some beautiful photos! The woman who took my photo put so much effort into it I felt like it was a photo shoot for a magazine LOL.