Save the Passport photo !!

May 14, 2009 by pmelcher.

You have to love the French !! This is a good one:

Here is the latest. In an attempt to be more convinient and user friendly, I presume, the French governement has decided to  put free automated passport machines in all the city halls ( 2000 nationwide). The idea is that you can get everything done in one place, fill in your papers and get pictures done. In the spirit of the french capitalo-socialist society, these are offered free as  it is covered by your local taxes.

However, a whole bunch of french photography organisation have now launched a petition  against this new initiative. Their claim is that theses “machines” will put out of work the artisanal photographers who use to do this for a fee. The whole passport photographer profession is a risk of losing their jobs. Thousands of jobs ar at risk, the petition claim. I fear a strike is not far away.

Lets review. These photographers claim that they make 15 % to 20 % of their revenue from passport pictures. Wow, I guess France never heard of those Photo booth. Nor do French people apparently take their own pictures. There is no limit to french coquetry. What can we say, they want to look good

Seems to me that these photographers are looking to keep french customers ignorant of their options. After all, nothing prevents them to still go to a pro and get a nicely set up portrait. But what if they just need a down and dirty passport image ? Why can’t they use a machine. For free, if it the desire of the government ?

People, the profession of passport photographer is dying. do something !!!  sign the petition here, right now. Help stop the advance of technology.

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