Almost every client tells me they are not photogenic. What they usually mean is that they have only ever seen themselves in unflattering light, at an angle nobody chose, doing nothing in particular. That is not a face problem.
Do something instead of posing
A pose held still looks held still. Movement fixes it. Walk toward me, turn away and look back, adjust a sleeve, run a hand through your hair, laugh at something. The photo gets taken in the middle of the action and it reads as a moment rather than a pose.
The physical adjustments that do the heavy lifting
- Push your chin slightly forward and down, it defines the jaw and removes softness under it
- Drop your shoulders, tension always sits there first
- Put weight on your back foot, it relaxes the whole stance
- Give your hands a job, a pocket, a coffee, a jacket, anything
- Leave a gap between your arms and your body so arms do not flatten and widen
Smile with your eyes or not at all
A smile that only involves the mouth looks exactly like what it is. Real smiles crease the corners of the eyes. That is why photographers try to make you laugh, we are not being charming, we are chasing the eye crease.
And a serious expression is completely fine. Not every photo needs teeth. A calm neutral face often carries more authority for a founder portrait than a big grin.
Breathe out on the shot
People hold their breath when a camera comes up and it shows in the neck and jaw. Breathe out slowly as I count in. Everything drops half a centimetre and softens.
Know your angles, then forget them
Most faces have a preferred side and slight asymmetry is normal and human. It is worth knowing yours, but do not spend the shoot managing it. I will work the angles. Your job is to stay present.
Give it ten minutes
The first frames are always the stiffest. That is expected and it is built into how I run a session. I start with setups I know work, get some safe frames in the bag, and by the time you have relaxed we are into the good part.
