Service Pictures

[Pylon]

For those that have Been There, Done That:

How do the various services take your initial file photo when you enter basic training?    I know each of the services does it a bit differently... for example, I've heard the Marines have some sort of open-backed, super-modified dress uniform that people slip into.

The reason I ask is that I am considering an inprocessing night similar to what Darin Ninness and Kirt Bowden were talking about in this thread.  One of the tasks I want to accomplish is to take file photographs of in-processing new cadets for a variety of purposes (for use in SIMS, E-Services/CAPF 101, photo ID cards, etc.)

I'm wondering how easy it would be just to pick a fairly medium to large fitting shirt, stick CAP cutouts and a generic nameplate on it, grab a clip-on tie, and do it that way.  Will it be quick enough and easy enough and will it look good?

Anybody with ideas or experience on this?

[JohnKachenmeister]

You are right in that the uniform for Marine pix was a slit-back set of Forest Greens, with your ribbon(s) added and your rank stuck on with double-sided tape.

This is the same thing that they use in funeral homes.

[Flying Pig]

In the Marines the uniform for the blues graduation picture is an open back uniform with sleeves that go to about your forearm, and the jacket only goes to about your stomach.  Its like putting on a barber shop cover with sleeves.  They even hold it together with a clothes pin behind your head. 

In my photo I had a brown short underneath, and my cammie bottoms and boots...I was even holding my cammie cover and blouse in my lap.  But you'd never know!

It seems a little over kill for your situation.  Unless your just packin' em in.  In the military they are trying to take 600 photos in one day.  Why not just take people photos in their own uniform?  I guess it would be easy enough to have 2 or 3 shirts of various sizes on hand as you mentioned.

[JohnKachenmeister]

Back in the day, only the top grad from boot camp got a free set of Blues.

I was a Corpsman, so I was authorized to wear any USMC uniform except the blues.  At Camp Pendleton, when they took all our pix, it was on my day off, so I had civilian clothes on under the coat. 

But it looks like I'm all dressed up.  The even used a sexy light behind my head.

[afgeo4]

They did our photos during the 6th WOT (Air Force) when we're in blues anyway, so it was pretty simple.

[lordmonar]

Back in my day at BMTS.  We got our picture take right after the 2nd week of training.  Right after we got our blues.   We wore our OD fatigues carrying our blues jacket and bus driver cap and one blue shirt.  There was a clip on tie at the photo place.  We put on on the shirt, coat, tie and hat...the TI gave us a one over and then we stepped into the studio.  There was a cut out on the floor, we put our feet into it, grabbed the provided handle and looked at the big sign that said look here.

FLASH....NEXT!

40 member flight in and out in less than 30 minutes.  We then went outside for the group photo.

Marched back to the dorms and put out uniforms back into the locker...we had 1 more week before we could wear them.

[CAP428]

I'm wondering how easy it would be just to pick a fairly medium to large fitting shirt, stick CAP cutouts and a generic nameplate on it, grab a clip-on tie, and do it that way.  Will it be quick enough and easy enough and will it look good?

Yes, and no, respectively.


Just have everyone wear their own (well-fitting) uniform.....or don't take their picture and let them worry about it.

[ColonelJack]

Back in my day at BMTS.  We got our picture take right after the 2nd week of training.  Right after we got our blues.   We wore our OD fatigues carrying our blues jacket and bus driver cap and one blue shirt.  There was a clip on tie at the photo place.  We put on on the shirt, coat, tie and hat...the TI gave us a one over and then we stepped into the studio.  There was a cut out on the floor, we put our feet into it, grabbed the provided handle and looked at the big sign that said look here.

FLASH....NEXT!

40 member flight in and out in less than 30 minutes.  We then went outside for the group photo.

Marched back to the dorms and put out uniforms back into the locker...we had 1 more week before we could wear them.

The first time my TI said anything even remotely "nice" to me during BMTS was the day we had our pictures taken.  "Not bad, Bagley," was his comment as he adjusted the tie and made sure I looked somewhat presentable.

Memories ... memories ...

I still have my AD blues around here somewhere.  (Can't fit in them by a longshot any more, of course, having been 17 when they did fit and that was three decades ago.)

Jack

[LtCol White]

Mike, sounds like a nice idea. You could take a couple service coats and split them up the back and put long velcro strips on the back to hold it closed. For shirts you could get 3 sizes that were equivalent to SM, MED, LG. I think this is very doable.