How to get genuine smiles and how to pull of a serious look | CHATTANOOGA PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

Wow guys I've been UBER busy lol!  Not only with my photography, but with my designing as well...  Currently working on one website 4 logos and one blog!  YIKES... lol!  I tend to spread myself thin it seems, but it all works out, because I LOVE the pressure I always get better results lol!

This weeks tip is a very simple one.  YES!!!!  lol!!!

HOW TO GET A GENUINE SMILE AND NOT THE TYPICAL CHEESE SMILE YOU ARE TAUGHT AS A CHILD AND HOW TO GET THE SERIOUS LOOK WITH THE "SMILE IN YOUR EYES"...

Two very interesting subjects when dealing with photography.  I mean really how cute is it to have that really cheesy "cheese smile" in your photos.  It just looks fake and stiff.

Here is my tips for getting real genuine smiles and no fake smiles....

1. Ask them to do the most obnoxious fake laugh...  Why?  Because after they do you get the genuine laughter.  They begin to crack themselves up cause that was just plain silly... lol!!!
2. Tell a really awkward joke that really isn't funny.  You will get that blank stare and then comes the laughter, because that was just really awkward lol!
3. Actually tell a funny Joke... I mean only if you are funny duh!
4. Fall...  Well it works for me after the initial shock wears off all you can do is laugh.

These are just a few of my tricks I use to knock out that fake I don't want my picture smile.

Now here is one interesting thing that many don't know how to do...  "Smile with your eyes while being serious" It's truly not that difficult and it makes a world of difference in the serious poses.  I love the serious poses there is just something about them that scream beauty to me.  But you don't want to have that blank stare or the I'm going to kill you look on your face when you do it.  The best ways I find to make the serious looks work are:

1. Glance down with your eyes only then slowly shift your eyes back up.  This works WONDERS!!!  It is almost like a flirty look... You are smiling with your eyes glancing at the camera making you look more inviting.  
2. Another thing to watch for is gritting your teeth or clinching your jaw.  It's not exactly pleasing to the eye.  It makes your chin look bigger.  Who wants that?  Not me!  What you need to do is slightly part your lips and breath softly.  Don't let your teeth really touch just kind of let them graze over one another.  It just gives for softer lines.

I hope this helps some of you photographers and clients when getting these pictures done.  It makes a world of difference and you look awesome in the process!

And here are some examples of everything discussed...

While the dad looks great in both photos you can see the I have to smile vs. the enjoyment smile.

Here if you look she is relaxing and parting her mouth and not clinching her jaw while on the bottom she is smiling with her eyes.  Although she isn't really truly smiling you still feel a softer more inviting feeling from just that simple and subtle squint in her eyes.