Had mine done at CVS and it looked horrible.

I ended up taking a picture at home with a timer.
Used passportphoto-online.com to crop.
It will also let you know if the picture will "pass" based on lighting etc.
They also make some adjustments with the background etc.

I uploaded 3 different photos and they said the first 2 were not going to pass.
The 3rd one passed, but I liked the first one better.
Got all of them printed at CVS.
Decided to take a risk and send the one that didn't pass with my application.
Just got my passport with the photo that I liked. Yay!

Anonymous wrote:FedEx Ground

Whoops, this was supposed to be FedEx Office. Former Kinko’s.

I got mine done at a post office. The lady was really nice and let me see the picture. It looked terrible of course, but it was still nice of her.

Her: You want to try again?
Me: No thanks; that's just how I look.
Her: whoa
Me: I know

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The US Post Office offers this service together with a passport appointment. Easy peasy.

It’s worth the extra cost to do it. They’re always accepted if they do it at application.
We did Costco and they were rejected. Waste of time and money.

Agree. We did this for my two kids. Easiest passport application ever. Made an appointment and done in 15 mins.

Anonymous wrote:Whatever you do don't get them at the post office in Bethesda. We did that for our passports and we look like freaky, back-country criminals with mis-shaped heads. we wept laughing at how awful they were.

They’re not supposed to be flattering. You can’t smile.

Anonymous wrote:The US Post Office offers this service together with a passport appointment. Easy peasy.

It’s worth the extra cost to do it. They’re always accepted if they do it at application.
We did Costco and they were rejected. Waste of time and money.

CVS

Postal Service

CVS - that's exactly what it says on the applications information site
READ

We have had great passport photos taken at UPS store in Chantilly.

Anonymous wrote:Epassportphoto with their smartphone and then print at cvs. But call ahead and make sure their photo printers are working.

Agreed, have used them for last set of renewals with zero issues.

https://www.epassportphoto.com/95/Free/United%20States/Passport/step1

Have an inkjet printer at home so that saves the CVS/Walgreens step.

Also, for OP, if its a renewal of an adult passport (which doesn't sound like it in your case), you might try the brand new online renewal beta test the State Department is doing.

https://www.dansdeals.com/points-travel/finally-passports-will-soon-renewable-online/

Stood against a wall*

Wes good against a wall and took our own with a phone.