Best Lighting for DV Lottery Photos: A Simple, Home-Friendly Guide

lighting guide for taking DV lottery photo at home

Submitting a photo for the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery is straightforward, but many applicants are disqualified because of poor image quality. One of the most common problems is bad lighting. You don’t need expensive equipment or a studio setup. With a little planning, you can create a photo that meets all requirements right from home.

Why Lighting Matters

The U.S. Department of State requires clear, evenly lit photos. Shadows, glare, and uneven brightness can cause your picture to be rejected by the system as proper lighting ensures:

Your face is fully visible.
The background looks clean and uniform.
There are no dark spots or overexposed areas.

But What's The Best Type of Lighting? The Answer is: Natural Light

The simplest option is indirect daylight. This gives you soft, even brightness without harsh shadows.

How to set it up?

Find a window with lots of natural light.
Stand facing the window, about 1-2 meters away.
Make sure the light is not direct sunlight, which creates sharp shadows.

If the light is too strong, use a sheer curtain to soften it.

Artificial Lighting at Home

What if natural light isn’t available? Use two light sources placed at equal angles in front of you. Desk lamps or LED lights work fine.

Tips:

Place lights slightly above eye level, angled at 45°.
Avoid a single overhead bulb—it creates shadows under the eyes.
Use daylight bulbs (around 5000–6500K) for natural skin tones.

Background Considerations

Even with good lighting, a messy background can ruin your photo. The DV Lottery requires a plain, light-colored background.

No problem! Our passport photo tools will remove the background automatically for you. Just upload the photo and click the "next", you will get a DV lottery photo with a plain, light-colored background.

Extra Tips for Perfect Results

Turn off overhead lights if they create glare.
Remove glasses to avoid reflections.
Check your photo against official guidelines before uploading.

Click here to make passport / visa photos

Other passport pictures guides

How to take passport photo in 5 steps?

Step 1: Use a digital camera or a smartphone to take a photo

Find someone to take the photo for you and selfie photo is not acceptable for passport photo application. If you have a tripod, use it. A tripod will make it easier to keep the camera steady and level. The distance of the person to the camera should be around 1 meter.

Step 2: Find a venue with good lighting

When taking photo, you should face the light, such as a nice bright window or the door. This can provide even lighting to avoid shadows on the face and background. The face must be evenly lit. There should be no shadows and glares on the face.

Note: No need to worry about the background as our online passport photo generator will automatically remove or change the background for you.

unacceptable passport photo

Step 3: Wear properly for your passport photo

Do not wear uniforms. Wear regular street clothes in your photo.

Do not wear eyeglasses. If you wear glasses, sunglasses, or tinted glasses, take them off for your passport photo.

Your face must still be fully visible. Don’t let your hair drape over your face and obscure your eyes. If you have very long bangs that cover your eyebrows, you should pin them back with bobby pins. It’s best if your ears show, as well, but that won’t cause your photo to be rejected.

No hats are allowed in passport photos unless it is religious headgear such as a headscarf or yarmulke that you wear every day.

acceptable passport photo