How to Smile Perfectly in Pictures

Having a perfect smile in your pictures is important for many reasons.

First, it makes you look more attractive. A beautiful smile is one of the first facial features people notice.

Second, smiling perfectly in pictures conveys confidence and approachability. People are more likely to want to talk to someone who looks confident and friendly.

Finally, a perfect smile in pictures can make you look happy and successful. People tend to associate happiness with confidence and a positive attitude. The physical act of smiling also boosts serotonin. So you’ll not only look happy, but you’ll also feel a burst of feel-good hormones when you smile.¹

What can you do to guarantee the perfect smile when posing for a picture?

5 Tips to Smile Perfectly in Pictures

Here are five ways to help you smile better in pictures:

1. Relax Your Face

When you’re tense, it shows in your face, and that includes your smile. If you’re tense or stressed out, it’s going to show in your pictures.

Before taking a photo:

• Take a few deep breaths
• Roll your shoulders backward and forward
• Squeeze your facial muscles together and release
• Open your mouth and eyes as wide as possible

These exercises stretch your facial muscles and help you relax. This helps you achieve a natural-looking smile. 

2. Think Happy Thoughts

What you’re thinking about can also affect your smile. If you’re thinking about something that’s making you unhappy, it shows in your expression.

You can improve your smile in pictures by taking a moment to think about something that makes you happy. This puts a genuine smile on your face.

Take a few moments before the picture is snapped to think of a favorite memory, a loved one, or anything that brings you joy. You might even relate your happy thoughts to the purpose of the photo.

For example, if you’re taking a picture to share with family, think of a happy moment with loved ones. If you need a great smile for a professional photo, think of a career accomplishment.

3. Use Your Tongue

Believe it or not, using your tongue helps you smile better in photos. When you stick your tongue out slightly and curl it up, it will help stretch the muscles in your face and give you a more natural-looking smile.

This might feel awkward at first. The best thing to do is give it a try while looking in the mirror or taking a selfie. With practice, you can perfect the technique and achieve exactly the look you want.

4. Improve the Health of Your Teeth

Take a good look at your teeth and decide what you don’t like about them. Are they crooked, stained, or missing? Once you know what you don’t like, you can start fixing the problem.

For example, if your teeth are stained, you can talk to your dentist about teeth whitening options. If your teeth are missing, you might consider dental implants.

Once you’ve invested in improvements, take time to smile in the mirror while you’re alone. This helps you get used to seeing yourself with a new and improved smile. It may feel awkward at first, but keep practicing and you’ll start to feel more confident about your smile in no time.

5. Practice

If you’re self conscious about your smile in pictures, the best thing you can do is practice smiling. Get in front of a mirror and smile until it feels natural. 

It’s also helpful to snap a few selfies for practice. Many people believe their smiles and faces look different in pictures than they do when they look in the mirror. With a picture, you’re also able to analyze what you don’t like about your smile. Over time, practicing these habits will make smiling feel natural when you have your photo taken. 

Your smile is one of the first things that people notice about you, so it’s good to feel confident about it. Especially when it comes to taking photos, your smile is one of the most important things to get right. A great smile can make all the difference in a photo and can even be contagious.

Talk to your dentist about cosmetic options, such as veneers or braces. They can help you get the perfect smile that you’ve always wanted. With a little work, you can overcome your anxiety about smiling and start enjoying your smile again.