How to look your best for social media photographs

The social media have put a new twist on the pressure to look good in photos. So how can you put your best face out there?

by Kathryn Kelly — 

The social media sites (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, Linked-In, Instagram and Google) have put a whole new twist on the pressure to look good in photos. Never has your face been more on display — from people you went to grammar school with to colleagues to extended family. So how can you put your best face out there?

Dr. Jeffrey Spiegel, world-renowned facial plastic surgeon and professor at Boston University School of Medicine, offers these tips on how to put your best face forward to create a beautiful photograph.

• Women should slightly look up toward the camera and raise their eyebrows as it makes the eyes appear larger, creating an attractive look.

• Men should slightly protrude their chin. This creates a strong face and helps to eliminate a double chin.

• Lean your neck slightly towards the camera.

• Just before a photo is taken, women should tap their lips a few times to send blood to the lips, which makes them redder and fuller. Also, pinch the cheeks a few times to get a little bit of a rosy glow.

• Stand at an angle to the camera. This creates a slimmer body profile and adds interest to the photograph. Also, try lowering the shoulder slightly towards the camera. This will relatively elongate your neck and make it appear slender.

• Blink just before the camera goes off. For example, if the photographer is counting to three before shooting, deliberately blink on two. This will help guarantee that your eyes are not closed during the picture and, more importantly, it will get you with the most open and bright eyes. Remember, bright eyes are critical to looking good.

• Smile with your eyes. A fake smile accentuates only your mouth. A true smile radiates when your whole face is laughing. Think about sending energy to your eyes or smiling with them — your inner beauty will shine into the camera and subsequently the photograph.

• Relax. Think about relaxing your face and trying to convey that to the camera.

Kathryn Kelly is a freelance writer and a publicist  with CWR Partners. kathryn@cwrpartners.com.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 31, Number 4, August/September 2012.