We’ve all looked lousy in photos. These tips can help.

Photos influence the way we see the world — and ourselves. These tips can help you control the way you look on camera.

By
January 17, 2024 at 8:00 a.m. EST
(Photography by Linnea Bullion for The Washington Post; production design by Jack Reed)
7 min

We spend our entire lives looking at our own faces. Cameras, meanwhile, have mere moments to capture them.

And because cameras can’t “see” the world the way human eyes can, is it any surprise they can reproduce our image in ways that don’t always feel right?

Photography has fueled our shared visual culture since at least the mid-1800s, and there’s little to suggest that’ll change soon. But even though we can’t completely control the way cameras — and everyone else — see us, there are things we can do, and facets of photography that we can learn to take more control of our images.

The next time you find yourself in front of a camera — say, in one of these common scenarios — here are a few things to keep in mind.

Know how you want to look

Maybe you need a new profile pic for social media, or need to flesh out the “About” section on your website or LinkedIn. A solid portrait can help you give the right impression at the right moment — as long as you remember some fundamentals. We’ve got three things you should think about. First, consider the audience for this photo — what is it you’re trying to get across?

Pure professionalism?

Boisterous personality?

Something else entirely?

If you’re after a more traditional kind of image, consider angling your body about 45 degrees away from the camera and turning your head toward it such that your good side — you almost certainly know which one it is — is more prominent.

If you’re keen to avoid the picture-day-at-school vibe, maybe don’t face the camera head-on and show off all your teeth. Furtive looks and subtle smiles can hit as hard as a megawatt grin.

Meanwhile, if you’re worried about your face looking too big, try taking the photo with the camera slightly above your eye line and pointing down.

Skip to end of carousel