Don't Say Cheese!
For so many of my clients, particularly in large company corporate headshot sessions, the first thing they say to me when they walk in to the room is;
“Do I have to smile?”
The basic answer to this question is ‘yes, as long as it’s real’. The full answer to this question is a bit more complex.
There have been many studies over the years about the effectiveness of profile pictures in particular and much of this efficacy points directly at the smile as a major contributor in this.
According to studies by Princeton University it was found that it takes just 100 milliseconds to form an impression of somebody just by looking at a photo of their face. The majority of this first impression is made up of two factors - Trustworthiness and Competence.
There’s actually a website called PhotoFeeler that will allow you to upload a profile image and get feedback on it from real people (go on, I dare you). For business profiles these images are rated on Competence, Likeability and Influence. The smile, they found, was the most important factor in the higher scores.
Personally, to simplify things here I always look for two things in headshots that I take. Confidence and Approachability. Does this person know what they are talking about and is this person somebody that I want to have a business relationship with. If you can get these two traits across in those crucial first milliseconds then you are off to a great start.
So, how do your face show that you have these traits?. I’m a big fan of the New York photographer Peter Hurley and there is certainly evidence of his influence in my work. I believe that he was the first to coin the expression the ‘Squinch’. When people have their eyes wide open in a a photo it can give off an image of uncertainty and vulnerability. This is the opposite of the confident look that we want. Therefore the eyes have a vital role to play in showing people how confident and competent you are. A small squint of the eyes can remedy this - its a subtle thing not to be overdone.
Luckily when we smile for real the eyes tend to join in, and this naturally creates the squinch that we are looking for.
Which brings us on to the smile. This is the home of your Approachability and Likeability. But there is no hard and fast rule as to how big, small, toothy, subtle or wry it has to be. the only rule is this.
Your smile needs to be real, it needs to be an expression of your true self.
And thats all there is to it really.
When someone tells you to smile it tends to be fake. When someone makes you smile its always real and always genuine. As a photographer its part of my job to spot that fake smile and to allow you to show your real smile. Its amazing how many people come into the studio with a great natural smile and yet as soon as they stand in from of the camera they become possessed by the fake smile demons.
So how to get that genuine smile. Its a joint effort, I need to do my job and help you feel relaxed, comfortable and confident. You need to get to a happy place, this about something or someone that makes you smile… kids, pets, partners, the beach, cash, whatever it may be.. Between us we get there every time.
So what about the teeth? If you are normally a big smiler go for it. Photo Feeler actually have research to show that smiles with teeth are more effective. i’m not quite so sure, its not for everybody. Remember it just needs to be your natural smile, and when its natural it will show in your eyes.
For those people who prefer not to have a big smile in the photo, thats fine too. If you’re thinking happy thoughts your eyes will show it and the mouth will follow even if its in a very subtle way.
So, I will never ask you to say cheese, it will only ever generate a fake smile and a pretty ugly one at that, actually saying ‘Money’ mimics a natural smile better. I won’t ask you to say that either but I may ask you to think about it if thats your happy place!
I am very proud of how many clients have commented on how they have enjoyed the fun and relaxed atmosphere of my photo shoots. It’s only through this that we can get those genuine smiles and my clients can really show their true personalities… and make great first impressions.