How can i make myself more photogenic?

Question:I take horrible pictures... most of the time; any suggestions on how i can make myself take better pictures?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I take horrible pictures... most of the time; any suggestions on how i can make myself take better pictures?

There are a lot of things you can do. Spend a few hours with a digital camera. Make different faces, try different smiles, hold your head at different angles—there are positions where you will look better than others. Get a feel for them.

(There ARE positions to avoid--don't look down into the camera; it might give you a "double chin.")

Try to use ambient lighting instead of the on-camera flash. (Turn the flash off, and try taking pictures in sunlight, instead.) An on-camera flash will usually give unflattering results. (There is a time and place for it, but you'll usually look better without.)

Mostly, though, just take a lot of pictures of yourself. Try taking three pictures at a time—one of the three will turn out better than the other two. Look at it, and try to figure out why you like it more. Is your head tilted a certain way? Is the light better? Are you smiling more (or less)? Try to take another picture that replicates the things you like.

People tend to look better when you see just their profile, so when you get your picture taken turn your head slighly left of right and if you smile with teeth, push your tongue up against your teeth to fill in any gaps and make your smile look fuller. If you are worried about weight, stand with one leg out and put your arm on your hip.

Hold the camera steady, if there still blurred you might need a better camera.

You are approaching this all wrong. YOU do not make yourself more "photogenic"... that is the job of a good photographer... and I DO NOT mean your friend down the street with their shiny new digtial camera that they have not so much as read the manual about.

I mean a TRUE PROFESSIONAL photographer with the studio and lights and equipment and KNOWLEDGE as to how to use it to make you look your best. The correct pose, the correct form of lighting, and just the right camera angle will do wonders as to how you look.

You will NEVER get a decent photo tying to do it yourself. Some people definitely are less photogenic than others, but again, that is where the professional comes into play.

Do yourself a favor and stop fighting it and get to a REAL pro... and I DO NOT mean Wally World or Sears or any other portrait mill.

You will discover you are a lot more photogenic than you think you are! :-)

steve

For you:

1) Relax!
2) Be natural - act as if you are not having your picture taken.

Photography wise:

A lot of people have been put off portraits because the photographer did not do good work. Example: When I first started doing portraits, I was horrible. I did not have the right lighting, bad posing, bad angles, wrong lenses and focals lengths.

If you are taking this pictures yourself, I recommend gettting some books from the library about posing and portraiture.

Look at books by Bill Hurter, they are a good start.