The other night I was walking around my neighborhood at night, wearing my reflective safety vest and orange hat. As I walked past this bar with all of the pretty & sexy people having drinks, I heard someone yell, “Hey alpha!” The guy comes up to me, and I make jokes about my outfit. Before we say goodbye, he wants a picture. I don’t want to; however, I take off my ‘crossing guard uniform’ and take the picture with my jacked-up hair. I leave mortified.
This incident was the inspiration for this video — how to look better in every picture. Personally, I hate having my picture taken, and I’ve come to realize that I am not that photogenic. But, the good news is that I’ve learned ways to look better and be more photogenic in every picture.
- Perfect posture — chest up and shoulders back, standing like you’re proud but not overly cocky. Make sure your chin is up too.
- Elevate the camera angle slightly — don’t take pictures too low or even straight ahead. Elevating makes your face look leaner and chin more defined.
- Face the light — don’t have the light source behind you, which casts shadows over your face. Have it directly in front of you (but not high).
- Wipe off facial grease — oil on your face will bounce and reflect light. In a pinch, you can use the back of your hand over areas prone to grease prior to the picture.
- Have a strong hair game— a lot of times, I judge my picture based on how my hair looks. Take care of your hair loss with Bosley.
- Be purposeful with what you’re wearing — avoid wearing white, which can make you look larger and washed out. Avoid horizontal stripes and big patterns as well. Bright colors shouldn’t be worn; instead, wear muted and subdued colors.
- Learn how to smile better — jam your tongue against the back of your teeth to allow your face to relax.
- Find the right pose — discover the angle that makes you look best by practicing in front of a mirror. If you’re taking a picture with a group, turn your feet at a 45 degree angle to make yourself look taller and leaner.
- Whiten your teeth — your smile will look better in every single picture with whiter teeth. Whitening strips are effective and affordable.
- Don’t try to look super tough or sexy — instead, have one hand in your pocket and the other hand chilling naturally or holding something like a drink. You could also stick your hand over someone’s shoulder (depending on the height) if you’re with someone else. Go for the waist if you’re shorter or do the double-shoulder-grab if you’re the same height.
