Woodward Camera
Camera store 4.8 ★★★★★ 1,491
Develops filmCamera repairUsed gear
Store offering cameras, equipment, and photo printing services, plus film development.
Home › Passport photos
Passport photos near me
339 camera stores in this directory shoot passport and visa photos. They are not the cheapest option and this page will not pretend otherwise — what they sell is a photo that comes back accepted, and a reshoot for free if it does not.
What passport photos cost in 2026
| Where | Price | Retake guarantee |
|---|---|---|
| Costco | $6.99 | Not guaranteed |
| Walmart | $7.44 | Not guaranteed |
| USPS | $15.00 | Not guaranteed |
| Walgreens | $14.99 – $16.99 | Not guaranteed |
| CVS | $16.99 | Not guaranteed |
| Camera store | $14.95 – $19.99 | Typically guaranteed |
The honest comparison
If you want the cheapest US passport photo, go to Costco ($6.99) or Walmart ($7.44). That is a genuinely fine choice for a straightforward application. The camera store is worth the extra ten dollars in two specific situations: when a rejection would cost you a trip, and when you need a visa photo for another country with its own dimensions and head-height rules. Note that CVS at $16.99 and Walgreens up to $16.99 cost about the same as a camera store — without the guarantee. That comparison is the one worth making.
Why the retake guarantee is the product
A passport photo is a compliance document, not a portrait. It either meets the State Department specification or it does not, and there is no partial credit.
Drugstores do not guarantee a retake. If your photo is rejected, you have paid $16.99 for a picture you cannot use, you pay again somewhere else, and — this is the expensive part — you find out weeks later. Rejection arrives after processing, not at the counter. By then your departure date has not moved, and expedited processing costs considerably more than the photo did.
Camera stores typically guarantee compliance and reshoot free if the photo is rejected. Someone who shoots portraits for a living is also, unsurprisingly, better at the specific thing that fails most often: even lighting with no shadow on the face and none on the wall behind.
Visa photos: where camera stores are genuinely hard to replace
US passport photos are a single well-known template — 2x2 inches, head between roughly 1 and 1 3/8 inches, plain white background. A kiosk can be set up for that one template and nothing else.
Visa photos are not one template. Requirements vary by country: different print dimensions, different head-height ratios, sometimes a coloured rather than white background, different file specifications for online applications, and occasionally rules about glasses, head coverings or expression that differ from the US standard. Camera stores commonly maintain specifications for 100+ countries and shoot to the destination country's rules.
If you are applying for a visa rather than a passport, this is the difference between a photo that works and one that does not, and it is not something a drugstore counter is set up to handle.
What gets a passport photo rejected
Failures cluster into a short list. Almost all of them are invisible to the person being photographed:
- Head too large or too small in the frame. The single most common rejection. The head must fall inside a specified size band — eyeballing it does not work, which is why phone selfies fail so often.
- Eye height out of range. Your eyes must sit within a defined band measured from the bottom of the photo. Related to head size, and equally easy to miss.
- Shadows on the face. A single overhead light source is enough to fail a photo. Flat, even, frontal light is a lighting setup, not a lucky spot near a window.
- Shadows on the background. Stand too close to the wall and you cast one. The background has to read as plain and uniform, not "white wall with a grey shape behind your shoulder".
- Glare or frames obscuring the eyes, a tilted head, a non-neutral expression, or a background that is off-white or textured.
None of these are flagged at the counter — they surface weeks later during processing. That delay, not the fee, is the real cost of a rejected photo.
Camera stores that shoot passport photos
Passport service is confirmed from each shop's own service list or from customer reviews. Showing the 48 highest-reputation of 339; city links below go local. Guarantee terms are set per shop — ask when you arrive.
District Camera and Imaging
Camera store 4.6 ★★★★★ 1,527
Develops filmRents gearUsed gear
Time-tested retailer offering camera & film equipment, plus classes & printing services.
B&C Camera
Camera store 4.5 ★★★★★ 1,454
Camera repairAuthorized dealer
Local outfit since 1971 selling a large range of photography equipment & accessories plus rentals.
Colonial Photo & Hobby Inc
Camera store 4.3 ★★★★☆ 1,227
Buys & tradesDevelops filmRents gear
Jumbo hobby shop with model trains, craft supplies & cameras plus on-site framing & film developing.
Mike's Camera Inc Colorado Springs
Camera store 4.7 ★★★★★ 1,113
Rents gearUsed gearAuthorized dealer
Provider of digital & film, photographic & video cameras & equipment, plus processing services.
Mike's Camera Inc. Boulder
Camera store 4.4 ★★★★☆ 1,166
Rents gearUsed gearAuthorized dealer
Provider of digital & film, photographic & video cameras & equipment, plus processing services.
New York Camera & Video
Camera store 4.9 ★★★★★ 1,001
Used gear
Photography specialist offering cameras, lenses & accessories, plus rentals, classes & lab services.
Kenmore Camera
Camera store 4.7 ★★★★★ 861
Buys & tradesRents gearUsed gear
Family-run outfit since 1974 offering new & used cameras plus equipment, accessories & a photo lab.
Mike's Camera
Camera store 4.6 ★★★★★ 851
Develops filmCamera repairRents gear
Provider of digital & film, photographic & video cameras & equipment, plus processing services.
Garland Camera Repair & Photographic Imaging
Camera store 4.6 ★★★★★ 847
Develops filmCamera repairUsed gear
Local shop selling & servicing brand-name cameras & darkroom equipment, with on-site processing.
V4 Visas Passport Photo & Notary Services
Camera store 4.8 ★★★★★ 748
Mike's Camera Inc. Denver
Camera store 4.5 ★★★★★ 770
Rents gearUsed gearAuthorized dealer
Provider of digital & film, photographic & video cameras & equipment, plus processing services.
photodom. NYC
Camera store 4.7 ★★★★★ 737
Develops filmRents gear
Black-owned shop specializing in analog cameras and film, plus film processing and camera repair.
Mike's Camera Inc Lone Tree
Camera store 4.6 ★★★★★ 742
Rents gearUsed gearAuthorized dealer
Provider of digital & film, photographic & video cameras & equipment, plus processing services.
ThisPix
Film lab 4.7 ★★★★★ 709
Develops film
Walk-in studio (by appointment on weekends) shooting ID photos & offering other film services.
Cardinal Camera
Camera store 4.7 ★★★★★ 687
Buys & tradesCamera repairUsed gear
Retailer of photography equipment, including cameras, also offering on-site print services.
Cardinal Camera
Camera store 4.7 ★★★★★ 666
Buys & tradesCamera repairUsed gear
Retailer of photography equipment, including cameras, also offering on-site print services.
The Camera Company
Camera store 4.7 ★★★★★ 610
Buys & tradesRents gearUsed gear
Camera and photography gear shop offering new and used equipment including lenses, plus classes.
San Jose Camera & Video
Camera store 4.5 ★★★★★ 629
Develops filmCamera repairRents gear
Old-school photo shop with a wide inventory of supplies, plus classes, archiving services & repairs.
Accurate Photoshop
Film lab 4.9 ★★★★★ 572
Develops film
Small photo store offering frames, film & albums, plus lab services & passport pictures.
Gulf Coast Camera
Camera store 4.8 ★★★★★ 580
Buys & tradesDevelops filmRents gear
Wide variety of new and used gear for photography as well as repair services, rentals and lessons.
Service Photo Supply, Inc.
Camera store 4.7 ★★★★★ 574
Buys & tradesCamera repairUsed gear
Retailer stocking new and previously owned cameras and lenses as well as accessories, also offering repair services and rentals.
Horn Photo
Camera store 4.6 ★★★★★ 566
Buys & tradesCamera repairRents gear
Digital photography and film processing shop offering equipment sales, supplies, albums and photo restoration.
George's Camera
Camera store 4.7 ★★★★★ 553
Rents gearUsed gear
Friendly camera emporium specializing in rentals, repairs, lighting and equipment. Offering classes and warranties.
Biggs Camera
Camera store 4.5 ★★★★★ 576
Buys & tradesDevelops filmRents gear
Friendly camera shop that stocks digital and film cameras plus lenses.
Pitman Photo Supply
Camera store 4.6 ★★★★★ 549
Buys & tradesDevelops filmCamera repair
Spacious electronics superstore features cameras, photography supplies & gear, plus film processing.
Home Fair Camera
Camera store 4.9 ★★★★★ 513
Develops filmUsed gear
Photos and videos are printed and framed at this shop that also carries cameras and provides restoration services.
Dan's Camera City
Camera store 4.7 ★★★★★ 518
Buys & tradesCamera repairUsed gear
Family-owned camera shop that can order hard-to-find lenses and gear; also offers classes.
Mike's Camera, Wheat Ridge
Camera store 4.4 ★★★★☆ 550
Rents gearUsed gearAuthorized dealer
Provider of digital & film, photographic & video cameras & equipment, plus processing services.
Lakeside Photoworks
Film lab 4.9 ★★★★★ 486
Develops film
Long-running local shop for photos, including restoration and enlargement, plus framing and passport services.
Englewood Camera
Camera store 4.7 ★★★★★ 483
Develops filmCamera repairRents gear
Veteran photo store offering cameras & accessories, plus printing, lab services & classes.
George's Camera
Camera store 4.6 ★★★★★ 482
Develops filmUsed gear
Buzzy retailer carrying a range of cameras & accessories, also offering repairs, printing & classes.
PostalAnnex
Camera store 4.7 ★★★★★ 469
Camera repair
Shipping center offering packaging supplies and related services, plus passport photos.
Art's Cameras Plus
Camera store 4.7 ★★★★★ 464
Rents gearUsed gear
Knowledgeable staff, plus classes, a rental department and print services.
Dodd Camera
Camera store 4.6 ★★★★★ 451
Rents gearUsed gear
Store carrying brand-name cameras & lenses, plus a large selection of gear for photography.
Allen's Camera
Camera store 4.8 ★★★★★ 430
Buys & tradesUsed gear
Old-school retailer of new & used cameras also offering accessories & film developing.
The Shutterbug
Camera store 4.7 ★★★★★ 438
Buys & tradesDevelops filmUsed gear
Photo store stocking new and used cameras, plus film developing and printing services, as well as friendly service.
Mike's Camera Dublin
Camera store 4.8 ★★★★★ 418
Develops filmRents gearUsed gear
Provider of digital & film, photographic & video cameras & equipment, plus processing services.
Kubus Photo Service
Film lab 4.2 ★★★★☆ 477
Develops film
Photo shop offering passport photos, film processing and scanning, and a variety of film stocks.
Dodd Camera
Camera store 4.6 ★★★★★ 435
Rents gearUsed gear
Store carrying brand-name cameras & lenses, plus a large selection of gear for photography.
Omega Photo
Camera store 4.4 ★★★★☆ 446
Develops filmUsed gear
Outfit offering digital, film & video cameras, plus equipment, custom printing & passport photos.
Passport Picture place
Camera store 4.9 ★★★★★ 397
Spartan Photo Center
Camera store 4.7 ★★★★★ 397
Camera repairRents gearUsed gear
Welcoming photo lab featuring a wide range of new and used camera gear, plus printing and film processing.
Rockbrook Camera
Camera store 4.6 ★★★★★ 398
Buys & tradesDevelops filmCamera repair
Camera retail shop also offering services, repairs, rentals and classes.
Passport photos by city
Cities with at least two confirmed shops.
California
- Passport photos in Los Angeles
- Passport photos in Glendale
- Passport photos in Sacramento
- Passport photos in San Diego
- Passport photos in San Marcos
- Passport photos in Santa Clara
- Passport photos in Berkeley
- Passport photos in Culver City
- Passport photos in Fremont
- Passport photos in Monterey
- Passport photos in Oakland
- Passport photos in San Francisco
- Passport photos in Santa Rosa
- Passport photos in Torrance
Passport photo questions
- How much do passport photos cost?
- Camera stores typically charge $14.95–$19.99. The alternatives: Costco about $6.99, Walmart about $7.44, USPS $15, Walgreens $14.99–$16.99 and CVS $16.99. So the cheapest options are warehouse clubs and Walmart, and camera stores sit at the top of the range alongside the drugstores.
- Why pay a camera store more than a drugstore for the same two photos?
- Because of what happens if the photo is rejected. Drugstores generally do not guarantee a retake — if the State Department rejects your photo, you pay again somewhere else and your application is already delayed. Camera stores typically guarantee compliance and will reshoot at no charge. When CVS is $16.99 and a camera store is $17.99, you are paying a dollar for the guarantee.
- What gets a passport photo rejected?
- The most common failures are dimensional: the head is too large or too small in the frame, or the eye height sits outside the required band. After that it is lighting — shadows falling across the face, or shadows cast onto the background behind you. Glare on glasses, a tilted head, a non-neutral expression and a background that is not plain white also fail. The cruel part is timing: rejection usually surfaces weeks later, by which point your travel date has moved a lot closer.
- Can I get a visa photo for another country?
- This is the strongest reason to use a camera store. Visa photo requirements differ by country — different dimensions, different head-height ratios, sometimes a different background colour, and occasionally a different aspect ratio entirely. Camera stores commonly handle specifications for 100+ countries. A drugstore kiosk is generally set up for the US passport template and little else.
- Where are the cheapest passport photos?
- Costco at about $6.99 and Walmart at about $7.44 are the cheapest widely available options, and for a straightforward US passport photo they are perfectly legitimate. Costco requires a membership. The saving is real — just understand that you are also buying no retake guarantee.
- Can I just take a passport photo on my phone?
- You can, and plenty of accepted photos start that way — but the failure modes are exactly the ones phones are bad at. Getting head size and eye height inside the required bands by eye is hard, phone lenses distort faces at close range, and home lighting nearly always leaves a shadow on the face or the wall behind. If the trip is booked and the timeline is tight, paying someone whose lighting is set up for it is cheap insurance.
Related
- Photo printing — the same counter, bigger prints
- Film developing
- Camera repair
- Used cameras
- Camera rental
- Sell camera gear
- All camera stores by state
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