How to print passport photo on OfficeJet Pro 8720

[Neal360]

I  need to print a passport photo for US passport on my OfficeJet Pro 8720.

Please advise the most efficient way to do this.

My old Photosmart C6180 had a special setting/procedure for this purpose.

Thanks for any advice.

Neal

[Dragon-Fur]

@Neal360 

Use image print software that can "print to size".

Alternatively, you can calculate the size on your own and use a simple print program, for example Paint (mspaint) )

Regardless of the need to download and install the software,

Using software that takes care of the pre-work might seem more efficient to you.

Irfanview > Brilliant Free Photo Viewing and Print Software

 Irfanview provides an exceptional software experience that can be used for a variety of scan and print tasks, including the “Mirror” or horizontal flip function plus several other options not found elsewhere.

• Create a Restore Point (optional, recommended)
• Download the appropriate version (32bit or 64bit) of the program from the Website and install the program
• Additional information at the website, including:  FAQ

NOTES

• Both 32bit and 64bit versions for Windows are available.
• Irfanview is also available as an Windows 10 Application from the Microsoft Store

For example,

Irfanview 64bit version – Information and Download

Software and All Plugins for 64bit version:  https://www.fosshub.com/IrfanView.html

Includes Plugin for creating Multiple-page PDF files for images (Poster or large paper printing)

Includes access (where available) to Scan with HP Twain > Adjust settings > Save

How to find Help within the Irfanview software

Once installed, open the software > tab Help

============================================================

Example - Irfanview - Image Print - "Custom Print Size"

Irfanview_Custom_Print_Size_2

What else?

Optional - Check / Calculate Aspect setting

Print at Percentage of 100%

• Open image in Paint (mspaint)
• Open File Explorer > navigate to the folder in which the photo / image is stored
• Right-Click on Photo file > Properties > Details > Note pixels counts (width and height)
• Optional:  Use Aspect Ratio Calculator to ensure the shape of the photo will fit on the shape and size of the paper you wish to use for the print
• Optional:  Use Pixels to Print Size Calculator Select Calculator #1 Print Size to Pixels or #2 Pixels to Print Size
• Use the Math.com 3-way Percent Calculator to calculate the percentage of the larger side (width or height) to obtain the percentage of 100 % when printed on your selected paper and at your desired size
• Print the file using Paint at the calculated percentage of 100%

Paint_Hawk_in_Leaves_Print-to-Size_1

HP Printer Home Page - References and Resources – Learn about your Printer  - Solve Problems

 “Things that are your printer”

NOTE:  Content depends on device type and Operating System

Categories:  Alerts, Access to the Print and Scan Doctor (Windows), Warranty Check, HP Drivers / Software / Firmware Updates, How-to Videos, Bulletins/Notices, Lots of How-to Documents, Troubleshooting, Manuals > User Guides, Product Information (Specifications), more

When the website support page opens, Select (as available) a Category > Topic > Subtopic

HP OfficeJet Pro 8720 All-in-One Printer series 

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[Neal360]

Dragon-Fur --

Thanks for the two suggestions.

I had started using Paint;  had trouble with the details.

Will have another go at it.

Neal

[Dragon-Fur]

@Neal360 

You are welcome.

Example 1

3-way Percent Calculator

Desired print height of our little photo = 3 inches

3 (desired photo size) is what percent of 6.1 (calculated size to fit/fill our paper)?

Answer = 49.18%

Open photo in Paint

Set to print on 4x6 inch paper at 49% of 100 (full size)

Example 2

3-way Percent Calculator

Desired print height of our little photo = 1.5 inches

1.5 (desired photo size in inches) is what percent of 4.7 inches (calculated size to fit/fill our paper)?

Answer = 31.91%

Open photo in Paint

Set to print on 4x6 inch paper at 32% of 100 (full size)

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The Community is a separate wing of the HP website - We are not an HP business group.

Our Community is comprised of volunteers - people who own and use HP devices.

Click Thumbs Up to say Thank You.

Question Resolved / Answered, Click "Accept as Solution"

[Neal360]

Dragon-Fur,

Thanks for the additional examples.

I finally figured it out, but took some experimenting.

One question and a few comments:   Apparently, the dimensions of a printed image depends on the dimensions of

the digital image in pixels and the resolution in PPI (pixels per inch) of the printed image  ??

There are two versions of software on my W10 installation -- "Paint", the one to which you referred,

and also "Paint 3D"  that has a 2D mode that I tried using at first.  

The W10 photo viewer ("Photos" )also has resizing options.

Finally, I was a bit confused by  the effects of several "print" related variables:  Paper size, Shrink to Fit or Fill paper,

and % size reduction or enlargement.

Neal

[Dragon-Fur]

@Neal360 

You are welcome.

The art of photo printing is best taken in pieces made small enough to make sense.

Fortunately, there are literally thousands of articles, charts, and documents to help you understand how image capture works (photographs) and how to translate the information for printing.

It is not a subject for which I am qualified to offer more than a smattering of advice.

Bits of Interest on the subject

DPI is related to the number of pixels that comprise the image.

Understanding DPI and how it relates to printing

Circa 2007 - Clearly written and easy-to-understand, background on the mysteries of DPI:

Understanding DPI and Pixel Dimensions

===================================================================

The Aspect Ratio is (essentially) the relationship (ratio) of the length and width of the image, that is, the "shape" of the image.

One Article Example

https://everpresent.com/turning-your-35mm-slides-to-prints/

Partial Excerpt from the article

What is an aspect ratio?

The ratio of the measurements of length and width in an image.

A standard 4×6 photograph has an aspect ratio of 2:3, whereas an 8×10 photograph has an aspect ratio of 4:5. Standard 35mm slides have an aspect ratio of 2:3, which is great news if you are planning on turning slides into 4×6 photographs, 8×12 photographs, or 12×18 photographs (all of which have the same 2:3 aspect ratio). Things get a little bit trickier if you want to print a photo with a different aspect ratio, e.g. a 5×7 or an 8×10, both of which are standard photo sizes.

Moving from one aspect ratio to another means that part of the image will have to be cut off to accommodate for the change in size. Make sure to pay attention to this when you are preparing your slides to print: avoid cutting off people’s faces or other important details during the resizing process.

 ===================================================================

A tiny sampling

I provide information for Paint (mspaint) primarily because I've used it, most everyone still has it, and the operation is simple.  

I might look into creating some how-to plates for Photos. 

I used Photoshop pretty extensively during the years I was actively involved with amateur photography.  I let my versions lapse.  I do still have (and use) Irfanview - pretty nice software and it's free:  The author has (in my opinion) done the world a service by providing this solid option to so many customers.

Windows Photo Viewer.  I no longer have it on any of my systems - I did like it:  simple, easy to use, its use was easy to explain, it included several simple resizing options.

HP Photo Creations.  Retired in November 2019 (after ten years).  Nice software.  Easy to use project software.  Popular.

HP Smart (Windows) application.  I think people don't give this application enough credit.  Smiling.  I do wish it provided a couple more options, including the calculations for printing "at size" (custom).  I get it.  Every single line of code increases the complexity and cost.  The only free commodity is unwanted advice.

Print variables

• Paper size is the shape and size of the actual paper you will use to print the object.
• Shrink to Fit and Fit are used to describe the act of forcing an object onto a paper of a particular size and shape.
• Custom size (Percentage) is the printing of an object at "other" than the actual size of the object when it is printed at "Actual Size" (100%) - the object is magnified or shrunk at an exact percentage of the "whole".

Choosing a software / application that "does what you want" means you don't have to know much about the image you are putting to paper.  The software does the checking and calculations necessary to present the image in the size, shape, color, and character you choose.

People generally ask about "how to print" an image when they don't immediately have a program / application that "just does" what they need when they look for it.

Printing anything is easier, of course, when you find / purchase / download-install software that does what you want.  It's only complicated when you have to understand and do some of the work to create the result you need with the tools you already have. 

Happy Printing.

Stay Safe.

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[Neal360]

Folks,

It turns out to be tricky to get a passport photo that meets all of the US government requirements -- especially

the requirement to have the vertical dimensions of the head correct within a 2" x 2" photo. 

(https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/photos.html)

With a cell phone camera you need to be at about the right distance to begin with.

Poor lighting or the wrong color of white background can also be a problem.

Getting the dimensions correct with the various photo apps discussed in this thread can be frustrating,

though I agree that MS "Paint" is about the most useful.

BUT ---THERE IS A GREAT SIMPLIFICATION at   https://tsg.phototool.state.gov/photo

You upload a photo taken at about the right distance, and the tool crops it to 2x2 while

keeping the size of the head to the requirements.  Then you download the resulting image for printing with Paint.

TURNS OUT THERE IS AN EVEN AN ADDITIONAL SIMPLIFICATION:

That HP OfficeJet Pro 8720 that I own (yes, the very one this whole thread is about) 

actually has a BUILT IN PASSPORT PHOTO FEATURE THAT IS NOT DOCUMENTED IN THE USER MANUAL AT ALL.

My wife discovered it by accident while we were trying to get the job done.  That is what we used in the end !!!!!

Neal

[Dragon-Fur]

@Neal360 

So, there you go.

Good news, then.

Idea:  Share what your wife found and help others.

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Our Community is comprised of volunteers - people who own and use HP devices.

Click Thumbs Up to say Thank You.

Question Resolved / Answered, Click "Accept as Solution"

[Neal360]

A little more detail on how the passport photo feature on the HP OfficeJet Pro 8720 works:

You need to copy the photo(s) you plan to use to a USB memory stick that is then inserted into the slot on the 8720,

and, of course, load photo paper into the tray.

The home screen on the 8720 control screen shows selectable options: Copy, Scan, Photo, ...select Photo.

Doing so brings up a screen with two options in the center:  View and Print, and Passport Photos.

First choose Passport Photos to select the printed picture size and the size of paper on which to print.

Then go "back" to the screen with View and Print, select that option.  This step will bring up a panel of thumbnails of

the photo(s) on the memory stick. Select the one(s) you want to use, and hit "Continue", bringing up an enlarged image and

two icons on the lower left -- the settings gear for various settings having to do with paper and layout, the other,

an "edit" icon that will bring up a screen with more icons allowing you to adjust the brightness, crop the photo, and adjust the angle of rotation.  When finished , the Continue button will finally bring you to the final Print screen.

This sounds a bit more complicated than in practice, since the behavior of the control  panel is farily intuitive.

I would not try cropping the image using that feature, since the control screen is small and awkward for the purpose; try to get the image to the right size with some other tool first -- I found the government's photo tool, mentioned in my last post to be good.

Why this feature is not documented is beyond my understanding -- I could find no mention of passport photos in the 180 page user manual, nor in the printer control software that comes when you install the printer on your computer.