Korean ID Photo 【Kwun Tong ‧ Yau Ma Tei ‧ Wan Chai One-Stop Studio】

1. Please book an appointment in advance. For makeup service, please book at least 2 days ahead.
2. Ensure adequate sleep before your session. Applying a moisturizing facial mask the night before helps your makeup look fresh and natural.
3. Keep your lips hydrated; applying lip balm before bed is recommended.
4. Please trim facial hair, beard, stray hairs, and groom eyebrows before the session.
5. Review the specific requirements of your intended document and wear compliant attire.
6. We provide shirt and suit jacket rentals. If you have strict hygiene preferences, bringing your own well-fitting clothing is recommended.

Clothing Color Recommendations

• Background Contrast: Most official documents require a white background. Please avoid wearing white or very pale tops.
• Hair Contrast: For clients with long black hair, avoid wearing black tops to ensure distinct layering in the photo.

Clothing Style Advice

• Avoid low-cut, off-the-shoulder, or sleeveless tops, as they can make you look bare-shouldered once cropped.
• Avoid busy stripes, which can visually distort portrait symmetry.
• For resume or job application photos, collared shirts or tailored blazers convey the highest sense of professionalism.

Makeup & Hair Styling

1. Keep makeup natural. Heavy makeup is prohibited for certain documents (e.g., Home Return Permit).
2. Focus on radiant, natural skin tones. Lipstick with natural color is recommended.
3. Avoid heavy contour shading, as studio flash can create noticeable uneven patches. Photobi's retouching techniques create much smoother, natural dimension in post-production.
4. Ensure hair does not cover the forehead, eyebrows, or ears to maintain compliance and project a confident, alert impression.

Including a professional photo on your CV or resume has become increasingly common. A sharp, confident photo creates an impactful first impression. Studio Photobi provides attentive CV portrait services in Hong Kong:

Dress Code Suggestions for CV Photos

• Corporate / Banking / Civil Service / Hospitality: Full business suit is highly recommended. White shirts and black jackets are available for rent in-store.
• Marketing / Public Relations: Business casual, such as a tailored shirt with or without a tie.
• Design / Media / Creative Roles: Smart casual with clean, modern lines.

Appropriate Expression

A warm, natural smile works best in most situations. For disciplined services or legal roles, a composed and dignified expression is preferable; for customer service or aviation roles, an open, friendly smile is ideal.

Natural & Confident Look

A fresh, tidy look without over-the-top styling works best. If you have concerns about camera angles, Photobi's 1-on-1 retouching plugins fine-tune shoulder symmetry, eye balance, and facial contours to ensure your photo looks poised and natural.

In addition to ID-sized resume photos, Studio Photobi also offers Professional Profile & LinkedIn Portraits to provide you with the most versatile professional imagery.

In Korea, resume and ID portraits are taken extremely seriously. A high-quality photo is considered essential to making a strong impression, leading to the rise of specialized portrait studios. Studio Photobi is one of the most celebrated studios in Seoul, and bringing this refined approach to Hong Kong defines the authentic "Korean ID Photo" experience.

Professional Lighting & 1-on-1 Retouching

• Korean Lighting Aesthetics: Unlike conventional booths or dual-umbrella setups, our customized studio lighting sculpts your facial structure naturally, retaining soft dimension where appropriate (such as cheekbones, eye sockets, and jawline).
• Golden-Ratio Balance: Rather than altering you beyond recognition, we gently balance subtle asymmetries (such as uneven eye sizes, crooked smiles, or shoulder tilt) for a polished, authentic look.
• Skin Restoration: We remove temporary flaws like acne, dark circles, and redness while preserving identifying features like beauty marks and moles to ensure full compliance.

Ready-to-Use Styling Amenities

Our studios feature hair curlers, straighteners, styling sprays, and rental business attire so you can look your best even on short notice.

1. Outfit Selection: Avoid white tops that blend into the background or black tops that merge with dark hair. Collared shirts offer a structured, clean look.
2. Natural Makeup: Keep foundation light and translucent; avoid excessive bronzer or contour powder.
3. Dimensional Lighting: Professional studio lighting enhances facial contours naturally.
4. Guided Posing: Our photographer directs your posture, shoulder alignment, and expression through multiple test shots.
5. 1-on-1 Retouching: Sit alongside your retoucher to direct fine adjustments within 15 minutes.
6. Premium Printing: Produced on flagship Canon 12-color archival printers with fingerprint-resistant photo paper.

The Home Return Permit (Mainland Travel Permit for HK and Macao Residents) has the strictest photo criteria among all regional documents. Studio Photobi provides certified verification receipts from China Travel Service. Here are essential tips for a smooth application:

1. Clothing Color & Style

• Dark Clothing is Mandatory: Wear dark navy, dark grey, black, or dark brown. Absolutely no white, beige, light grey, or colors close to pure white.
• Avoid Nude or Yellow Tones: Do not wear colors resembling skin tones.
• Collared Tops Preferred: A collared shirt or a dark round-neck sweater works best.

2. Hairstyle & Facial Visibility

• Both Ears & Eyebrows Must Be Fully Visible: Hair must not cover the forehead, eyebrows, or ears. Long hair must be tucked behind shoulders or tied back.
• No Exaggerated Hairstyles or Flamboyant Hair Colors: Hair must not be excessively voluminous or styled unusually high.

3. Makeup, Jewelry & Lens Restrictions

• No Heavy Makeup: Only subtle, natural makeup is permitted.
• No Jewelry or Accessories: Earrings, studs, necklaces, hairbands, and nose rings must all be removed before shooting.
• Colored Contact Lenses Strictly Prohibited: Only clear, colorless corrective lenses are allowed.
• Neutral Expression: Keep lips naturally closed without showing teeth.

Clients often ask about wearing glasses or contact lenses for official photos. Here is a summary of international standards:

Policy on Eyeglasses

• Removing Glasses is Strongly Advised: Most passport agencies (including HKSAR, US Visa, and Home Return Permit) prohibit or strongly advise against glasses due to glare, reflections, and frames obscuring the eyes.
• If Glasses Must Be Worn: Frames must not cover any part of the eyes, lenses must be completely clear without tint, and no reflection is allowed.

Policy on Colored Contact Lenses

• Official Government Documents (Passport, ID, Home Return Permit): Strictly Prohibited. Tinted lenses and circle lenses alter the natural iris pattern, causing automated biometric border scanners to fail.
• Resume / Student / Non-Official Use: Natural-looking cosmetic lenses are acceptable to enhance your look.

Policy on Jewelry & Accessories

• Home Return Permit: Strictly prohibited.
• Passports & Visas: While not entirely banned by all countries, removing accessories or opting for tiny, non-reflective studs is strongly recommended to prevent verification rejections.

Photographing infants and energetic young children requires patience and preparation. Studio Photobi recommends the following tips for parents:

1. Choose the Best Time of Day

Avoid scheduling during typical nap times or when your child might be hungry. Sessions work best right after a meal and nap when your child is cheerful and alert.

2. Clothing Advice

Since baby passport photos also require a pure white background, dress your child in dark, structured collared clothes. Avoid white onesies, hoodies (hoods block the neck and ears), or tops with overly wide necklines.

3. Parental Support

• Parents can stand beside the camera using favorite toys or sounds to engage the child's attention towards the lens.
• For infants who cannot sit unsupported, parents may support them from behind. Hands must not be visible in the final frame (a white sheet can conceal hands, which our retoucher will refine seamlessly).

4. Fine Retouching Assistance

Children may have tilted posture, uneven shoulders, or tense expressions during shooting. Our retouchers will gently balance posture during 1-on-1 editing while maintaining full regulatory compliance.