Stop Forcing Your Smile: 10 Natural Headshot Tips

Relax Your Face Before You Start

Your face holds tension you never notice. Right now, feel your jaw. Is it clenched? Are your eyebrows slightly raised? Forced relaxation looks worse than natural tension. Here’s a 90-second drill I give every client. First, scrunch your entire face for five seconds—forehead, eyes, nose, mouth. Release completely. Next, open your eyes and mouth as wide as possible, like a silent scream. Hold for five. Let go. Finally, gently massage your jaw hinges with your fingertips. Do this just before the photographer raises the camera. I’ve seen this turn stiff, worried expressions into a blank, ready slate. Starting from zero is better than starting from a frown.

Think of a Person, Not the Camera

That black lens is a black hole for personality. Staring directly at it creates a flat, vacant look. Instead, pick a specific person. Imagine your best friend is standing just behind the photographer’s left shoulder. You’re about to tell them a funny story that happened yesterday. Your focus shifts from “performing for a machine” to “connecting with a human.” Your photographer might use a prompt like, “Tell me about your dog’s worst haircut.” Don’t look at me when you answer. Look at that spot just past my ear where your friend is listening. This single mental shift accounts for 80% of the improvement I see in session quality. The camera records a connection; it doesn’t create one.

Let Your Eyes Smile First

A real smile starts in the eyes, not the teeth. A fake smile stretches the mouth while the eyes stay dead. Practice in a mirror. Think of something that genuinely amuses you. Watch the subtle crinkling at the corners of your eyes—those are “crow’s feet,” and in a headshot, they’re gold. Now wipe the smile off your mouth, but try to keep that light in your eyes. It’s difficult. That’s the point. When you shoot, the photographer should capture the moment your eyes engage, a half-second before your mouth fully reacts. One client always pictured her toddler trying to eat a lemon. The spark it gave her eyes was perfect, even before her lips moved.

The One-Second Exhale Trick

Holding your breath is a universal sign of discomfort. You freeze. Your shoulders hike up. Your neck disappears. Just before the shot, take a normal breath in, then let it all the way out. The magic happens in that first second of the exhale. Your body naturally settles. Your shoulders drop. Your face softens. Your posture looks confident, not rigid. Time this with your photographer’s count. They say “ready,” you inhale. They say “and,” you exhale. The click should happen on the release of your breath. This isn’t a deep yoga breath—just a quiet, normal sigh. It’s the difference between looking like you’re waiting for a shot and looking like you own the room.

Avoid the 'Say Cheese' Mistake

The word “cheese” creates a tight, stretched-mouth grimace. It’s the fastest way to look like a hostage. Better words activate natural expressions. Words with a long “ee” sound can work if they’re connected to a feeling. Try “easy money” or “really?”. The “y” in “really” lifts the cheeks naturally. Even better, use a word that makes you react. One of my go-to prompts is to say, “Okay, on three, say the word ‘Tuesday’ like it’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever heard.” People break into genuine, confused laughter. The goal is to trigger a micro-expression, not instruct a muscle movement. If your photographer insists on “cheese,” politely ask for a different cue.

Your headshot isn’t a mask you put on; it’s a real moment the camera finds. These tips work because they distract you from the performance. Your job is to be a person, not a subject. The photographer’s job is to capture that. Start with the face scrunch, pick your person behind the camera, and remember to breathe out. Do that, and you won’t need to force a thing.