Today’s topic is photogenic secrets, and in this article, I will try to answer the question from one of my readers – “I’m not Photogenic; what can I do?” How often do we hear the phrase: “Don’t take pictures of me; I’m not photogenic.” It means that the person is not good at photographs.
Sometimes, looking at joint photos of noisy companies, we note with displeasure that everything turned out well, and only you have a stupid, unnatural, unrecognizable face. If this problem is familiar to you, if you suffer from a lack of good photographs, it is worthwhile to understand better what photogenicity is.
Is it possible to develop this quality, or will you have to delete the failed pictures until the end of your life?
Content
- Why be photogenic?
- What justifies the lack of photogenicity?
- Photogenicity is the ability to love yourself.
- The hard work of the photographer.
- Secrets of photogenicity.
Photography as art appeared a long time ago, but it is still considered a young genre in history. Therefore, photogenicity as a concept is few years old. The mention of this first appeared in Louis Delluc’s “Photogenic,” written in the 20s of the last century.
That is, the term has not yet turned a hundred years old. By the way, Photogenia itself was not devoted to photography at all but to cinematography. This concept is still used today in both contexts.
Photogenicity has been described in the writings of the followers of Delluc. Due to the young age of the phenomenon, questions arise as to what photogenicity depends on. Some argue that this quality is innate, that bright and expressive facial features make for good results.
Others say that a bad photo is solely the photographer’s fault, while with a good master, anyone will be photogenic. People with low self-esteem will feel that they look bad in photographs, even if, in reality, they do not. There are ways on how to become more photogenic, and it’s not that hard.
Why Be Photogenic?
Modern society cannot be imagined without photographs. The capabilities of cameras, tablets, and smartphones allow you to capture every moment of your life. And our beloved person is far from the last place among the pictures.
Agree that we all want to get beautiful images sent to social networks and shown to friends. And here we are, not even talking about hyper-narcissistic girls adding dozens of selfies a day to the news feed.
Anyone wants his photos to be liked by him and those around him. Psychiatrist and psychoanalyst V. Pathak explain this by the influence of virtual space. A person is often perceived solely through the image on the internet, so everyone wants their pictures to be up to par.
What Justifies the Lack of Photogenicity?
Many of us were unhappy when we first heard our voice on the tape. It usually sounds quite different from what we hear. But there is an explanation for this – after all, the skull distorts sounds, so the voice is perceived differently.
But how to explain the fact that we don’t like our frozen faces at all? To blame this on lack of attractiveness? This radical approach has a significant impact on self-esteem. So there is a mention of photogenicity.
“Please don’t shoot. I’m not Photogenic; what can I do?” – this can justify bad photos without hurting your ego. It is worth noting that this feeling arises not only among ordinary people but also among famous actresses. It would seem that their pictures always look great because talented photographers, makeup artists, and hairdressers are working on them.
Studio photographs are often further retouched and processed. But no, some stars are unhappy with their appearance in the photo. One such disaffected actress is Charlotte Gainsbourg, the favorite art-house director Lars von Trier.
She likes to look at herself more in motion, in movies, or on video. And Gainsbourg doesn’t want his photographs in magazines.
Psychoanalyst Alberto Eiger in his book, explains this by the fact that a person imagines himself quite differently than he looks from the outside, younger than in the picture. Therefore, we often experience discomfort when we see our frozen faces, which seems completely alien.
Photogenicity is The Ability to Love Yourself
A photograph is an extra opportunity to see and consider all your shortcomings. Naturally, we are all imperfect, but a frozen image forces us to evaluate our appearance critically. We treat ourselves too harshly; we find fault with every feature of our face, with every awkward position.
However, we do not at all think that others do not notice these shortcomings at all. We create an ideal image for ourselves; we try to match it. And if the result does not satisfy us, we write off everything on the lack of photogenicity.
Some people are afraid that cameras, which freeze in front of the lens with a stone face, cannot move. The reason for this behavior lies in fear of the environment. People are afraid that the people around him will evaluate the picture with the same criticality and severity. Fear of the camera may also have deeper roots in childhood. Lack of love and attention is associated with this phobia.
The internet is full of pictures of children; they all look fantastic. The images are lovely to look at. That is, all children are a priori photogenic, and then this quality disappears somewhere? Or how else to explain this phenomenon?
It’s all about self-confidence. The child is not afraid of the camera; he knows how to look photogenic – he rejoices and enjoys the process, so the pictures are vivid, and the children in them are beautiful and photogenic. Because of their complexes and problems with self-esteem, they are pinched, begin to smile unnaturally, or get into strange positions.
Therefore, the photographs are flat, lifeless. Thus, to become photogenic, you need to love yourself, behave confidently and naturally in front of the camera.
The Hard Work of the Photographer
Do not think that nothing depends on the photographer. On the contrary, the ability to show a person attractiveness in a photo is a fundamental skill of a photographer. Due to the availability of cameras, we often take pictures of ourselves – in the mirror, take selfies at home, lying on the bed, in the elevator.
Ask yourself, are you looking good at this moment? The lack of photogenicity is likely because you did not sleep well at night, so you look tired. Or you picked up poor lighting and, for example, the nose looks too long.
If you have not prepared for the photo, took it in haste, then do not expect that the perfect face will look at you from the screen. Even the most beautiful people with the correct facial features will look bad without proper preparation.
It applies to selfies or other non-professional photos. But what can you say about the photoshoots made by real masters of their craft? It is worth noting that a good photographer cannot have foul shots; all people look natural. The master chooses the right pose, sets the light, selects the angle of view; in a word, he knows how to become photogenic.
A good professional can reveal a person from the side from which he has never seen himself before, show other facets of his personality. Photographer William says that every person who comes to him is photogenic. The difference lies in the time you need to spend.
Some people are quickly liberated; others need to find their approach. It is where the skill of the photographer lies. William says he once spent an hour on a friend who mistreated her appearance, was squeezed and notorious. But after an hour, she relaxed, and then the real work began. Seeing the result, the woman burst into tears because she could not even think that she could look so beautiful.
Photographer Pierre-Anthony Allard is convinced that all people are photogenic. If they surrender to the hands of a master, they stop feeling uncomfortable in front of the camera; then, the photographer will be able to find the perfect angle, light, and moment and save it on film.
You may also like to read: How to Become Photogenic? Tips from A Photographer and A Psychoanalyst
Photogenic Secrets: The Secret of Photogenicity
Learn to understand your face, find zest in it. Try to play in front of the camera, but play the role, not of someone but yourself. This skill allows actresses to do well in pictures, even better than professional models.
Avoid the Wrong Angle: Many people complain that they look fat in the photo. The wrong angle is to blame. Try to get the perfect angle in front of the mirror. A person works best when he stands in front of the camera in half a turn.
Be Natural: If you want a natural smile, then you need to relax your mouth muscles. To do this, move your lips, then they will look as natural and attractive as possible.
Try to Be Confident: Don’t focus on your flaws. Forget about their existence while filming. It is better to show more emotions during the photo session. If they are sincere, they will look perfect.
Don’t Hide Your Eyes: No wonder they say that the eyes are the window to the soul. With their help, you can convey your thoughts, mood, tell the world what you think. After all, it is with the use of a glance that communication in photography is carried out. A beautiful look is a surefire way to develop photogenicity.
Trust the Photographer: If he is a genuinely professional master, he can take the perfect pictures. You don’t need to be afraid of the lens, the photographer uses it correctly, and you need to obey him in everything.
Think Carefully About Your Look: Girls should pay attention to cosmetics and jewelry. Let your makeup be a little brighter than usual. But with accessories, you do not need to overdo it; they will add several years to you. Clothing should hide all figure flaws. You don’t need to choose green. Otherwise, your face will turn out too pale. You should also avoid contrasting colors in clothes.
If you have pictures at home that you don’t like, delete or throw them away. Make a selection of only those photos where you look good. It will get rid of unnecessary complexes. If there are no such photos, then go to the photographer. Then you can see yourself from the other side, notice your attractiveness and charm.
Photogenicity is what is in your mind. Surrounding yourself with professional shots will help you feel better about yourself.
