It might sound paradoxical at first, but a lot of effort can go in to pulling off a natural smile. Of course, once you’ve mastered that smile, you’ll be joining a legion of men who simply radiate with positive vibes. Hence, if you’re figuring out how to look good in photos, finding your perfect smile is a terrific place to start. Here are two quick pointers: 1) Forget you ever heard the word “cheese” (at least as it pertains to photography). Go for a word like “soda” instead, which will raise the corners of your lips without stretching your mouth to an awkward extreme. 2) Remain as relaxed as possible and think of something that makes you laugh. The more natural the smile, the better the photo.

It might sound like the stuff of junk science, but recent studies have indeed shown that the left side of your face is commonly more attractive than the right. Supposedly, it has something to do with the left cheek being more emotive than the right one. Putting all those studies aside, most folks will tell you that posing at an angle is preferable to looking straight ahead, meaning you kind of have to choose a side anyway. You might as well go with the one that has all sorts of hard data supporting it.

As most models can tell you, angles are everything. Men don’t seem to get the memo as much as women do, so consider this your official notice. The truth is that looking straight the camera can be off-putting, and a slight 3/4 tilt can go a long way, adding generous amounts of dimension to your features and expressions.

While we’re absolutely certain you have nothing to hide, you should nevertheless stay out of direct sunlight and avoid direct flash photography when posing for photos. Harsh, direct light can result in hard shadows or simply make your skin look unflattering. Aim for soft light instead, which conceals blemishes and generally leads to better-looking pictures.

If you’re socially active in 2021, it means there are at this minute no less than a thousand pictures of you floating around, most of them just a few clicks or swipes away. Look through those photos and isolate the ones where you look your best. See if you can find any patterns between all your greatest hits, and remember to utilise those patterns moving forward.

Shakespeare put it best when he said, “To thine own self be true.” Was he giving men advice on how to look good in photos at the time? Probably not, especially since photos didn’t exist yet. However, the advice is still sound. Don’t lie to to the camera, or force some convoluted persona onto others. Instead, relax and be yourself, and let the camera capture you in an honest and expressive state. You want to be a better you, not a better someone else. Along these lines, if you’re having a professional take your pictures, don’t be afraid to converse freely with the photographer. Anything that helps loosen you up and act more naturally will make for better photos.

Picture the girl of your dreams looking at a photo of you for the first time. Now picture her laughing warmly (i.e. in a good way). It sounds promising, doesn’t it? For that reason alone, you should remember to be playful and have fun while posing for photos. It’s simply incredible how much more approachable you’ll seem to others as a result. Plus, you know what women always say about a man with a sense of humour.

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, making them pretty damn important when it comes to impressions. However, finding the perfect gaze can be tricky. A quick tip is to “refresh” your eyes right before the photo is taken. To do this, you can keep them closed and then open them, or look away and then look back. Also, remember to keep your eyes pointed toward the nearest light source–ideally a natural one–to give them an even greater and deeper glow.

As most men can tell you: grooming is no longer optional. Don’t be the one guy who looks like some 90s-era couch surfer in every photo. Be the guy who looks like he enjoys getting out of bed in the morning and facing the day. And if you have any queries regarding grooming regimens or products, be sure to check out our “trimmed and terrific” series. We’ll take good care of you.

Similar to a quality grooming regimen, a sharp and contemporary wardrobe will take you far in life. Make sure you’re well dressed in all the photos you take because you never know who might see them. And if you need any fashion pointers, we’ll get you “suited and booted” in no time.