How To Be Photogenic – A View from a Professional Photographer

“Everyone can be photogenic.”

Like everyone else, in my earlier career as a portrait photographer, I thought only certain people looked good in photos.
Being photogenic can mean looking amazing in pictures but not necessarily in person. I’ve come across some people like that, but they are rare cases. They are usually very skinny with particular facial features. I photograph people of all sizes, shapes and ages, and I found that EACH and EVERYONE can look amazing and photogenic. The beautiful photograph results match my finding. People think that I am “gifted’ with the talent of photographing people. But I would say it’s through relentless practice and the willingness of seeing people the way they are and find a way to amplify the best version of them. It’s all through experience and preparation. And I believe everyone can do it for themselves.

Here are my takes on how to be photogenic:

Plan ahead

You want to plan the date of your shoot ahead so you can prepare for it. I mean not just physically also mentally. Even it’s a selfie session just you and yourself, and you will still need to put it down in your calendar, block the time and date because good headshots are important for you, so you will treat it as important as you have a meeting with your client.

Have enough sleep

You would want to have enough sleep the night before the shoot to look in good energy and fresh. Don’t drink alcohol the day before the shoot to avoid puffy eyes and bloating.

Iron your clothes

Iron your clothes the day before your shoot so you can be relaxed on the day.

Set the mood

We don’t wake up looking like the best version of ourselves and especially when we have challenging situations in life.
Our mood and energy permeate through the camera the way most people don’t know about it. Our brain is an incredible machine that we can detect any trace of uneasiness or a fake smile. You would want to do anything you can to make yourself feel good. That includes applying your favourite lipstick and perfume, the outfits that make you look good or a pair of heels or shoes you love. When you feel good, you look good. The fragrance and shoes will not appear in the photos, but they set the mood, which is SO important!

Smile with your eyes

Fake smiles are so easy to spot. When you only smile with your mouth and eyes unchanged, it looks more like a forced smile. You would want to present your genuine self, so how to do it?
In the studio, I usually tell jokes or make compliments when I want my client to smile. That works every single time. When you are not relaxed and can’t smile easily, get help! Put on your favourite comedy show or listen to some jokes. When you laugh, the muscle tension on your face will disappear, and it would be easier to have some gorgeous smile on your face.

Remember this

It’s not about having the photogenic gift, it’s everything to do with how comfortable you’re in front of the camera. Be kind to yourself, smile with your heart when you see yourself in the photos and give yourself a lot of encouragement as you would to other people. You are unique, the only one on earth. Embrace it. I know you’ve got this.

Want to know more about headshots? Here is a Free guide you can download:“5 tips for getting good headshots from your smartphone