natural smiling female portrait Photo by Allef Vinicius on Unsplash

How to Smile for Pictures: 9 Game-Changing Tricks

January 29, 2023

A friendly smile is one of the critical components of a successful photo or selfie. Any picture can be improved and remembered by a sincere, cheerful smile. It can be challenging to capture the ideal smile on camera at times. Dive in to learn more about how to smile for pictures using the nine tricks below:

1. Open and close eye trick

a female breathing for natural smile

Image Credit: youtube.com 

To quickly know how to smile naturally while taking photos can be slightly hard. Therefore, you get natural smiles by closing your eyes and then taking deep breaths to relax and open your eyes with a smile. 

2. Preparation and relaxation

warm-up massage on face for narual smile

Image Credit: youtube.com  

For great smiles in photos doing a warm-up are essential. You need a facial massage to relax the cheekbones, jawline, and browline. This is key since sometimes we may have tension in our faces, and a massage using your hands/jade roller helps.

3. Use the Magic words

Before taking photos, we say catchphrases like cheese do not help achieve a natural smile. You can use the following phrases instead:

 Yoga yogi,  honey money

You can say yoga yogi before the shot while smiling, which helps enhance your smile. Another magic word is honey money; saying it with a smile gives great photos.

magic word practicing

Image Credit: youtube.com   

 Hey Yes

This is ideal for group photos on set to get candid facial reactions from them. Saying “hey, yes” gives natural smiles since the “yes” makes it easier to smile when said out loud.

man practising magic smile word yes

Image Credit: youtube.com   

4. Happy and wonderful moments

 Happy things 

You can think about things that give you joy in life during the shoot to enhance your smile. Things like ice cream, pets, and more make us happy, and thinking about them will spark a smile.

girl thinking happy things before taking photo

Image Credit: youtube.com    

 Someone you like

man is taking photo of a girl aside the river

Image Credit: youtube.com    

It is easier to smile when we are around people we like; therefore, you can imagine someone you like is behind the lens. This will give you an amazing smile in your photos.

5.  Ignore the camera

smiling girl

Image Credit: youtube.com    

Seeing the camera in front of you can be distracting and make you nervous. To get comfortable on set, you can motorboat your lips, shake your head and goof around to help you ignore the camera and relax.

6. Funny things

smiling girl

Image Credit: youtube.com     

Naturally make us smile when taking pictures. You can think of the funny memories you have had, funny things you came across online and even things that make you happy. These thoughts will evoke happiness in us and give us natural smiles.

7. Lifting-up Trick

youtuber explaining smiling trick

Image Credit: youtube.com     

Lifting is key when smiling; you can do this by lifting your eyes and eyebrows. You also need to lift your cheekbones. To ensure you are doing it right, cover your nose and mouth and try lifting your eyes to ensure it is perfect. When smiling, it will help you get smiley eyes, lifted eyes, cheeks, and lips.

8. Embrace authenticity.

youtuber explaining smiling trick

Image Credit: youtube.com     

Everyone has a unique smile, and it is important to embrace your smile for authenticity. Do not copy someone else's smile since it will look forced rather than genuine. Embracing your authenticity makes it easy to pose on set, and you will get amazing natural smiles. 

9. The Always-Win Trick: Practice

 Smile in the mirror.

a youtuber practicing  smiling in the mirror

Image Credit: youtube.com   

Anytime you are in front of the mirror, you can smile at yourself. It will help you practice your smile and make it easier to pose. This will help you always to be prepared to smile in shots and give you amazing photos.

 Record the smiling.

girl recording smile in phone

Image Credit: youtube.com    

You can record yourself through your phone if you have difficulty staring at the mirror. This will help you see the before and after, making it easy to compare the difference. However, ensure you maintain a natural smile despite the pressure to fake a smile when taking photos using your phone.

 Make a mental note.

smiling girl looking at her phone

Image Credit: youtube.com    

Make a mental note of when you are happiest, for instance, with your pet, and be aware of how your face feels to produce the same smile on set.

Conclusion

Getting natural smiles in photos can be difficult, especially when you are nervous or stressed out. Therefore you need to relax, give an authentic smile, ignore the camera, and get the best candid smile. At first, employing these tactics could seem strange, but as you gain experience, you'll be able to find a method that suits you best. I hope you enjoy the tips mentioned in your next shoot.

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