Are you a professional photographer in the Bend area? Do you want to enhance and perfect your photo taking skills? An important part of photography is taking pictures of people, and nothing looks better in a photograph than a great smile. If you want to bring your photography to the next level, consider learning how to maximize smile aesthetics.
The Role of a Photographer in Capturing Perfect Smiles
As a skilled photographer, it’s important to capture the personality of your subjects. And what better way to capture personality than through a genuine smile? A photographer has to employ several techniques to draw out the best smile from their subject, while also keeping in mind important aesthetic rules.
Getting to Know Your Subjects
While it is important to know how to perfectly capture smile aesthetics, a photographer also needs to know what their subjects are thinking and feeling. The more familiar you are with your subjects, the better you will be able to capture their personalities, and therefore their smiles.
Try to engage in conversation and learn a little bit more about your subject. Where are they from? What are their passions? What type of mood are they in today? By taking the time to really get to know your subject, you will be able to capture a more genuine, more sincere looking smile.
Perfecting the “for the Camera” Smile
When a subject is posing for a photograph, that’s when you need to be mindful of posture and facial expression. Pose your subject so that they feel comfortable and don’t look too stiff and staged. Encourage them to loosen up and demonstrate natural body movement.
As your subject gets ready to smile for the camera, give simple directions such as, “Keep your head slightly up and your chin relaxed” along with compliments like “Great, that’s perfect!” and “Such a pretty smile.” Make sure to not overdo it, lest you come off as fake and insincere.
Another useful tip for drawing out the perfect smile is to take a few photos, tell a few jokes, and get a few chuckles and smiles out of your subject before snapping that main shot. Sometimes it takes time for a smile to come out naturally.
Technical Aspects of Smile Aesthetics
It’s not only important for a professional photographer to draw out the best smile, but also to learn some technical aspects to get the best possible portrait. Light is a very important factor in a portrait and it can affect how a smile looks. Depending on the tone of the photo shoot location, the expression on the person’s face, the lighting setup, and the white balance of your camera settings, it all plays into what kind of smile a photographer can capture.
When considering which settings to use, remember the general rule of thumb. For a light, airy photograph where the subject looks effortless and carefree, use an open aperture for a warm and welcoming look. For a more dramatic and high-contrast photograph, use a smaller aperture.
It is also important to remember to focus on the subject’s eyes. This will ensure that the camera has the best chance to capture the perfect smile. In a portrait, the eyes are the center of attention and getting them in sharp focus will lead to the best possible photograph.
Smile Aesthetic Post Production
Once you have taken your photographs, it is important to learn how to optimize them in post production. Tools such as Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop can be used to enhance the overall quality of your portrait while highlighting the subject’s smile.
Start by adjusting the contrast to get the right look. Experiment with the clarity, exposure, and saturation settings to really make the smile pop out. Use the dodge and burn tools to draw attention to the subject’s smile.
The Best Smiles Come from Professional Photographers
Every photographer has their own style and process when capturing subjects, and every smile is different. Learning the techniques for getting great smiles in photos can help you take your photography to the next level and add some extra charm and flair to your portraits. Whether taking photographs of children, families, couples, or individuals, it’s every professional photographer’s job to optimize and perfect smile aesthetics and activations.