While most millennials are taking dozens of selfies a day, it’s the time of the year when you’ve got to prepare yourself for endless photo-ops. Graduations, weddings, and not to mention summer vacations are finally here, demanding the need for you to stand before the camera with that pearly white smile. In a second, beautiful pictures will capture your special moments and immortalize them in time!

But here’s the catch; every picture demands the perfect smile. Unless you’re doing a high fashion shoot, you don’t want to be frowning or scowling. Unfortunately, smiles do not come easily to everyone, especially those who are timid and camera shy. Therefore, it’s a good idea to learn how to smile with confidence, fully aware that you look amazing. Not sure how to project that perfect smile? Here’s a simple guide that will help you flash a beautiful smile for every single photo!

Unclench Your Top and Bottom Teeth

Here’s a trick that most people are unaware of: When you smile, avoid clenching your teeth. A lot of people unknowingly tense their top and bottom jaws while the photographer counts down. However, when you’re smiling for the camera, it’s best to allow a little space in between your upper and lower teeth. Clamping down both your upper and lower teeth leads to muscle tension in the neck, thus causing the bulge out of your skin in an unsightly appearance. Try to smile without your teeth touching each other. It will make a great deal of difference!

Avoid Wide, Fake Grins

Grinning is a big no-no – that obligatory fake smile that you try to project during sudden picture-taking. When you flash an overwhelming grin that reveals all your teeth, your smile becomes rather forced and unflattering. In fact, studies show that extremely wide smiles do not exude positive impressions. Showing an excessive number of teeth, according to the study, can be quite distracting. The best thing to do is to reveal a relaxed and genuine smile that anyone would love to see.

Wet Your Teeth

Here’s another simple trick that will help you when it comes to smiling: wet your teeth before the shot. You can do this by running your tongue over your teeth before projecting a smile. In fact, some makeup artists suggest putting a little Vaseline on your teeth before a photo-op. This is because wet teeth can make your smile a little more shiny and bright. Who doesn’t to have a sparkling, radiant smile that can knock people off their feet?

Take Photos Above Eye-Level

When the camera takes a shot above eye-level, it is able to capture a better angle of your facial features and make your smile look brighter, happier, and more natural. Perhaps you’ve tried taking selfies with your camera below eye level before. If so, you’ve probably noticed that it can distort your lovely facial features by revealing the most unflattering double chin. Therefore, always keep your head up, your chin up, and the camera higher!

Relax!

Finally, make sure that you relax prior to smiling before the camera. This is the most important tip to this overall equation as it will keep you from forcing it and simply letting your happiness shine through. Think of happy thoughts and wear that genuine smile. An authentic, joyful smile will reflect in the camera and translate into the perfect picture that would make anyone seeing it smile too!

Icon Dental Center is a dental office in Seattle, if you’re looking for a new local dentist in Seattle, come to visit us today!