I’m not a naturally photogenic person and for many years was entirely awkward in front of the camera. Most people are not naturally photogenic, but thanks to my job (which requires me to have my photo taken every day), I’ve become more comfortable and have picked up a few pointers along the way. Here are five tips on how to be photogenic every time.
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1. Practice. Loosen up, smile and pretend someone is snapping your picture while you’re in front of the mirror. A big part of looking good comes with feeling comfortable. Practice a pose and when you feel more like yourself in front of the mirror, use your camera’s self-timer to capture your natural self.
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2. Find your best angle. I know that I look significantly better from one side. I don’t have a perfectly symmetrical face, so I choose to angle my chin slightly toward the right and take nearly all my pictures this way.
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3. Preparation is key. Add a touch more makeup if you know you’re going to be photographed since it’ll look better in pictures. I usually rely on dark brown eyeliner (it’s not as severe as black) and usually opt for a light pink lip. I also wear clothes in colors that suit my skin tone; I like olive green, white and peach and avoid colors like yellow and orange that can wash me out.
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4. Show some emotion. I used to try and make my eyes really wide because I thought that it would make my eyes look bigger, but I always looked slightly crazy. Now, to achieve a relaxed look, I soften my eyes and think of something that makes me happy. The final product looks more like myself.
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5. Slight adjustments can make a huge difference. Small tweaks like moving my arms away from my body, turning my body at an angle and putting one foot in front of the other can make a big difference. There’s nothing wrong with a front-facing stance to the camera, but these minor adjustments make for an overall more flattering photograph.
