# Not being able to smile properly in photos



## DeeperUnderstanding (May 19, 2007)

I have an issue with smiling. It seems that whenever I smile in photos I've taken of myself, I smile too wide (show too much gum), so in essence I oversmile. I feel a lot of anxiety over this, because my natural smile (the one that looks like I'm relaxed and enjoying myself) only comes when I'm taken by surprise (for example, my driver's license photo looks really good, because I have a natural smile on it.) And I feel nervous about smiling in public, because I never know if I'm going to come out with a proper smile, or the travesty that seems to come across in these photos.

I worry that oversmiling will be taken negatively, or be seen as creepy. _I_ don't like it, so I worry other people won't, either.

Can anyone relate to this?


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## SocialDisaster (Nov 25, 2008)

Try to think of something funny before they take the picture. I mean really funny. It works.


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## Squirrelevant (Jul 27, 2008)

I don't smile enough. Even if I feel as though I'm smiling when my picture is being taken the result will be a sarcastic looking smirk. The fact that I seem to be oblivious to my own facial expressions (when anxious at least) disturbs me a great deal.


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## sanspants08 (Oct 21, 2008)

Smiling is my biggest issue too, as I almost always look as though I'm doing so sarcastically. I'm not sure how to train myself out of it because my facial muscles have somehow learned to act this way. Numerous people have told me not to smile because I look much better when I'm not doing so. That's been...pretty annoying over the years.


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## Hot Chocolate (Sep 29, 2008)

I had this really big teeth so sometimes I am afraid of smiling.


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## Sillouhette (Nov 16, 2008)

I never smile so I have nothing to worry about.


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## milo001 (Nov 26, 2008)

me too.you're not the only one.because of anxiety i can't smile properly in the photos esp the pastport photos.and recently i feel that my smile is really weird.i ca smile and laugh with friends or parents in the public but to strangers or the persons i don't really know i can't do it.it's hard to even have an eye contact with a stranger. :x


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## randomacc123 (Nov 27, 2008)

Whenever I smile my nose looks terrible. My facial muscles seem to stretch it along with my mouth. I look best when I pout


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## Mr. SandMan (Aug 24, 2007)

i can relate...i rairly smile, unless i smile over something genuwine...but, if you look in the mirror and act like your laughing or pretend you just saw someone your friends with or somethin...you can see what it looks like and know how it feels, it probably will feel uncomfertable just to force yourself to smile 'right'...but i did it in my 10th grade yearbook picture, and it worked for me...


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## KindredSpirit (Sep 30, 2008)

*smiling for the camera*

I can totally relate to this post ... I hardly can ever have a genuine smile when someone is taking my picture. When I see pictures of myself smiling when I'm not expecting it, they look totally different. The only time I have a real smile in a picture is if someone tells a joke or does something really funny.


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## Blackjack (Dec 3, 2008)

I rarely ever smile, instead I just look relaxed and intent. I think for a photo you can do whatever as long as you feel comfortable doing so. I've stood in front of a mirror and practiced smiling before, maybe not enough because most of my smiles in photos are terrible unless I am actually having fun.


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## shyvr6 (Feb 18, 2008)

I used to hate smiling because I was self conscious of my teeth.


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## flapjacker (Nov 30, 2008)

Just think about how absurd it is to worry about smiling. Maybe that will help you smile.


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## luminary_pustule (Sep 21, 2008)

I hate false smiles for photos. Whenever I do, you can tell it's forced by looking at the picture. My reluctance is obvious no matter how hard I try. My family keep complaining about it, but I don't have to be grinning like an idiot to be not 'miserable' looking. What's wrong with just having a neutral expression? And you don't have to show your teeth when you smile, it's still a smile if you have your mouth closed


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## friend_Z (Jan 3, 2006)

I can relate - I've been thinking lately about my own problems with smiling.

For starters, I don't particularly like the way my mouth looks. I feel like my lips are too thin and my mouth is too small and overcrowded and blah, blah, blah...

But it's also just really hard to flash an authentic smile when you're feeling anxious or nervous. Period.

When I greet people at work, for example, I try to use a friendly tone of voice (in the hopes that this might mask the fact that I struggle to come up with any further conversation). But I've realized that the friendly tone of voice I use in conjunction with my non-smiling face probably seems off-putting or unnatural to people who don't really know me. I believe some people might think I'm being condescending.

What to do...?


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## GhostX (Dec 16, 2008)

Yeah I'm in the same boat as you Friend_Z lol. 

Been thinking about it for a abit now, and I think soon enough I am going to talk the doctors about it, pretty sure I will be sent to an orthadontist, ince I really feel it restricts me in meeting new people, and being confident in what I do.


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## Grim619 (Dec 12, 2008)

I'm known not to smile in pictures... I feel really embarassed when I take A picture or see A picture of myself. I really avoid pictures at all costs. I took A pic of myself doing A wannabe smile and it looked ok(out of 20 tries).


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## sanspants08 (Oct 21, 2008)

GhostX said:


> Yeah I'm in the same boat as you Friend_Z lol.
> 
> Been thinking about it for a abit now, and I think soon enough I am going to talk the doctors about it, pretty sure I will be sent to an orthadontist, ince I really feel it restricts me in meeting new people, and being confident in what I do.


Yeah, I have similar thoughts there. Thinking of finding a way to just get my teeth to be aligned right...maybe that would help me out a bit. I know confidence should come from within, but it seems to me that there'd be no harm in having straighter teeth.


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## Prodigal Son (Dec 11, 2005)

I have the opposite problem, I smile to much and usually have a smirk on my face. It is just habit now and will smirk at things that I really shouldn't.


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## wrynn (Dec 18, 2008)

Blackjack said:


> I've stood in front of a mirror and practiced smiling before, maybe not enough because most of my smiles in photos are terrible unless I am actually having fun.


This works really well actually! I've never liked my smile either and never had an opportunity that made me want to fix it. When I was getting married i MADE myself practice smiling into a mirror.

It worked wonders! I practiced closed lip smiles, partly open, wide open smile, etc. I felt where the lips stopped on my teeth, how far my jaw opened up... I really felt the physical aspect of it in detail after I set the look in the mirror. That way when I was in front of the camera I didn't need to check a mirror every time.

When I look at my wedding pictures now, I'm really pleased with myself.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

I hate smiling in pictures too, thats prolly why you wont find any with me smiling in them if you find them at all.


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## EagerMinnow84 (Sep 1, 2007)

I would practice smiling in front of a mirror and I would think I look fine. I then take a photo of myself smiling and i look absolutely horrendous. 

I am self conscious about my smile at times. I have a rather small smile and it feels like it distorts my face sometimes.


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## wrynn (Dec 18, 2008)

I tell ya.... as much as I have convinced myself that no one could possibly find me attractive, I've gotten many comments to the contrary.

I haven't been able to convince myself otherwise but I am floored each and every time someone thinks i'm pretty.

All of these perceptions we have of ourselves, whether it be physical like a smile or emotionally, to a perfect stranger we are no different than the next person.

I would suggest that we can keep an open mind about what "normal" is and how we fit into that definition. Our smiles are our smiles. Our bodies are our bodies. If we don't love ourselves, how do we ever expect others to?

My husband tells me he loves me everyday. He tells me how beautiful I am and how sexy he thinks I am.... I'm learning to accept the compliment without the silent negative commentary in my head.


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## benj123 (Aug 2, 2011)

Me too i think my smile is only good sometimes..................


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## jenkydora (Nov 11, 2003)

I know its lame to blame anyone for this. But I do blame my mother for this. I am a sensitive person and I remember as clear as yesterday. Her going off at me, while posing for a photo as a small child. Before she did this. I was naturally smiling for photos, but once she decided I wasnt doing it perfectly she started on me. She would still do it today, if I let her, and its still the same today. My mouth gets all shaky and quivery and I dont know how to change it.


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## jonny neurotic (Jan 20, 2011)




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## Bbpuff (Sep 1, 2010)

I used to always smile in photos when I was younger.. But now a'days when I smile, it comes out looking awkward, and forced. I don't show my teeth anymore in photos.. I usually just smile with my mouth closed.. Or don't smile at all.. I hate doing group photos, I feel like my awkward facial expression kills the whole thing...


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## OldSchoolSkater (Jun 3, 2011)

I can't smile correcly in photos either. I always look like a goof or that I have down syndrome or something. Doesn't matter when or where the photo was taken - doesn't matter if I knew they were taking it or not - I just tend to make strange faces in photos.


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## jonny neurotic (Jan 20, 2011)

I make it a point of NOT smiling in photos simply because everyone seems to leave too long a gap between saying "SMILE" and actually snapping the ****ing thing. I can put on a smile but only for a second...


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## Diacetylmorphine (Mar 9, 2011)

I don't think I've ever smiled in a photograph, the furthest I got was a smirk!


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