Do you know how to smile? 🙂
Do you? I thought I did until I started posing for business headshots a few years ago and realized that I didn’t. 🙁
What “felt like” an appropriate smile for a business photo turned out to not be much of a smile at all. I was intrigued that from inside of my face it felt like I was giving a big smile but I wasn’t. This was great information to have in order to produce a better photographic image, but it was even more valuable to know that when I thought I was smiling at others, perhaps I wasn’t or at least not giving the expression I had intended.
I have been told numerous times throughout my life that I have a great smile…so I must be pulling it off at least some of the time!
But apparently I wasn’t so good at posing for a business photograph. So I practiced. Yes, I practiced smiling.
I rehearsed in the mirror perfecting the smile that I wanted to have in a photograph. I paid close attention to how it felt on my face. It’s helpful to get the exact smile and look that you want and then close your eyes and tune in to how your face feels. What is your sensation of the position of your cheeks? Is your mouth open or closed? Does it feel unnatural or exaggerated? Are your eyebrows raised a little or relaxed? Is your head tilted? Try to notice every detail so that you can later replicate it when your photographer is in front of you.
Once you get it perfected you can access your “photo face” whenever you get your picture taken. And trust me – later when you are viewing your vacation photos or your friends post those snapshots of you on Facebook, you’ll be glad you took the time to optimize your smile!
It’s my experience that people who hate getting their picture taken don’t like the way they look in photos. And they don’t look their best because they are cringing and putting on a fake smile. So take the time and learn this skill. You won’t regret it.
Go ahead – find a mirror. Say “cheese” and see how it looks. Grab your camera or phone and snap a few shots. Rehearse and repeat. 😀
