According to Tyra Banks, smiling with both your mouth and eyes is the secret to getting a great photo shot. In the thirteenth episode of America's Top Model it was Tyra Banks who coined a special word in English, "Smize", which means to smile (smile) with the eyes (eyes). Since then this term has continued to influence the work of models and photographers.
If you want to learn to smile with your eyes, or if you want to teach someone, here are the rules to follow to get the perfect shot.
Steps
Step 1. Relax
One of the major causes of an unnatural looking and too rigid photo is a body in the grip of tensions and anxieties. Do some breathing exercises to remove any stiffness from your muscles, if you want to try some yoga, meditation, a Pilates posture or a martial arts technique. The important thing is that you take good deep and relaxing breaths. Shake your body lightly to release all tension; do what you can even if the clothes or make-up make you feel 'forced'. Visualize relaxing and soothing images in your mind and think positively.
What you are trying to replicate is a "Duchenne smile" or an authentic smile that rises to the eyes. On the other hand, your smile may not necessarily be natural and spontaneous and for this reason it may be more difficult to achieve the desired result. It will therefore be important to be able to relax on command and enter a state of happiness whenever necessary
Step 2. Choose a point to focus your attention on
It is important to focus on a single point to prevent the eyes from moving continuously giving the shot a sense of restlessness and indecision. A fixed point will allow you to have a regular and consistent look. You can choose to focus on an object or a person, for example: the photographer, the camera, the person who is motivating you, an object placed at the right height or a food you can't wait to taste.
Step 3. Laugh
If you need to get a shot with a good laugh and a smile start doing it right away. Think of something fun, perhaps involving the photographer's clothing or something irresistibly hilarious that happened in the past. If you can't laugh openly on the outside, laugh on the inside. What ridiculous things can you think of in your mind that bring joy to your body even without smiling?
Remember that laughing allows you to assume a more natural pose as it can help you relax
Step 4. Tilt your chin down slightly
At this point you will need to look up slightly to achieve the correct look. This will help you achieve the desired result: smile with your eyes.
- Don't overdo it by tilting your chin. Otherwise you will cover your neck and it will appear that your face is facing down and your gaze is hiding something.
- Tyra also recommends that you drop your shoulders, look forward, and keep your head straight as if pulled up by an invisible thread.
Step 5. Focus on the mouth
In this step you will need the professional support of your photographer. Are you looking for an open smile, a faint smile, or a serious-looking mouth? Achieving smize when you're not smiling even with your mouth can be more difficult, but it makes capturing all of these steps even more important. If you can, practice smiling for real, make a nice wide smile, force yourself to keep your lips closed and to straighten your jaws slightly. The jaws should be open enough to insert the tip of the tongue between the teeth. Practice in front of the mirror to see how your face and eyes respond to your movements, continue until you get the best expression for your photos (unless you are a model, in this case in all positions of the your mouth must be perfect).
No muzzle. Unless you are prepared to make even the most sulky look sensual, leave long faces and capricious expressions alone. Free your mind of petulant attitudes and don't teach your mouth to sulk
Step 6. Prepare your eyes
Start practicing by moving your eyes only and no other facial muscles. Try to cross them slightly. Stand in front of the mirror and exercise until you realize that you can perform the movement without involving any other facial muscles.
Know that you will not be completely still anyway, trying to smile with your eyes you will notice that your temples will tend to move backwards because you are actually changing the expression and changing the shape of your eyes. The only way to be able to smile with your eyes is to let the upper muscles of the face move almost imperceptibly when you stare, never moving again! Practice and watch this video by Tyra Banks to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/embed/yZhRz6DZSrM. In these images you will be able to see her practicing the movement just explained
Step 7. Smile with your eyes
After practicing with different parts of the face separately, put them together. Get back in front of the mirror, at least for the first few times, so you can check your results for yourself. Cross your eyes slightly (a little less than you did in the previous step), let desire enter your gaze, focus on the chosen point and imbue your mind with happy thoughts.
- Try to give warmth to your gaze. Without human warmth your eyes would appear empty and inanimate.
- Don't think about saying "cheese" - think about smiling with your eyes.
- Try to be natural. Even if your look and your makeup are exaggerated and highly sought after, you can always express naturalness through your gaze.
Step 8. Express warmth and fun
Do what you can to have fun doing what you do, in this way you will reach that indispensable state of being relaxed. You will also raise the level of your energy and from the photos it will shine along with your fun. The camera will let your emotions shine even when covered in layers of makeup and clothing.
Play and fun will create natural and attractive photos. Your reckless, sensual and confident side will appear. Don't forget to talk to your photographer and ask him if this is the result he wants to achieve
Advice
- Focus on the makeup. If you are a model someone will do it for you, but if you are trying to achieve these results on your own, choose the correct makeup that will enhance and improve your smize. Avoid shiny and glitter products, they would create too many imperfections in the photo. Use a translucent powder and pat your face with anti-shine absorbent papers. Do not overdo it with dark colors, light ones will give more light to your eyes making them more smiling, while dark ones will give your eyes a fierce and restless tone.
- Eyeliner, if applied only to the upper eye rim, can help you have a wider look. Also use curling mascara to make your eyes appear bigger and deeper.
- Also take care of the appearance of your hair, makeup, clothing, and your posture. Your self-confidence will increase and allow you to get into the right emotional state.
- If you are a photographer, do what you can to avoid using the flash. This will reduce the chances that you will notice imperfections on the models' face.
- I recommend also check your teeth before starting with the shots, there is nothing worse than having food stuck between the incisors!
- Check out the videos and photos of Tyra Banks as she smiles with her eyes. Also look for the profile of other models on Twitter, for example that of Emma Robert shows the example of a natural shot while that of Kim Kardashian a more structured shot after a make-up and hairstyle session.
- Practice!
