What features make someone photogenic?

[Selene]

I'm trying to figure out what contributes to photogenicity, aside from general good looks. What characteristics do you think photogenic people share?

 

[fairytale22]

Great skin.

 

[YvetteJeannine]

I don't really think it's any specific feature, per se. I think it just has more to do with that certain person, their personality, their aura, and some factors that I can't really put a name to.

I personally take terrible photos...

I've seen very beautiful people that take awful photos (my mother was beautiful, and my sister, Michele is beautiful too, but they always took (take) terrible photographs)!

By that same token, I've seen people one wouldn't neccesarily deem classically "pretty", be very photogenic. Case in point; my neighbor, Mr. Hubbard (and old hillbilly Military Vet...you def. wouldn't think of as "good looking") takes REALLY good pics, and is photogenic on video too!

So, like I said, I don't really think you can pin it on one specific thing...not even looks....If you are, you just....are.

 

[Cyn]

symmetry helps

 

[lara]

It's not good looks per se - they help, obviously, but good looks don't really denote how photogenic someone is. It's usually more to do with confidence, the ability to stare down a camera and give it emotion, and a mastery of the little tricks that make someone look good on camera (lips faintly apart, chin forward, shoulders back, eyebrows slightly lifted, eyes slightly focused down the camera lens, etc etc etc).

That's why a lot of people, myelf included, photograph better when they're taking a self-portrait rather than someone else taking the photo - it's easy to be confident and remember all the little tricks when you're holding the camera, but much harder when someone else is taking the picture.

 

[ilovexnerdsx]

i TOTALLY agree with lara

aside from that, it's a personal pet peeve when someone has messy eyebrows. which is funny, cause it seems in about every picture i take, my eyebrows are brushed weird and i didnt realize it

 

[sexypuma]

totally with you on this one lara.

 

[flowerhead]

I think good lighting and flawless makeup can make anyone photogenic.

 

[Shimmer]

Ehh, I wouldn't agree that good makeup and lighting make everyone photogenic, but it does help.
Lara definitely summed a lot of it up.
Symmetry is one of the most basic features we as humans instinctively search out, but I do have to say, it's mostly attitude.

 

[Indigowaters]

I think practicing your smile or poses in a mirror and knowing how your body moves. I've practiced my smile a million times. Plus I had to know how to smile during elementary - highschool pictures because I had a chipped front tooth.

 

[flowerhead]

Personality helps...

 

[calliestar]

To me, it's all in how natural and comfortable they are in the picture. Someone can be beautiful and take horrible photos if they don't have a natural-on-command smile. Intensity of facial expression is also a big factor.

 

[maxcat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by flowerhead Personality helps...

... so does photoshop!

 

[Shimmer]

all photoshop does is make a bad picture okay.

 

[MacVirgin]

i agree with lara and jamie

 

[queenofdisaster]

it's all about your attitude. lol... i so thought about america's next top model while reading all these posts. i look frickin smokin in some of my pics but i honestly don't think i look like that irl. hehe.