Let your smile shine

Learning to smile.

Today is World Smile Day. As a portrait photographer, I spend a lot of my time studying people’s faces and their smiles. Sometimes I want people to smile in my photos and sometimes I don’t. It all depends on what I am trying to capture. But in this age of selfies, and cameras on mobile phones, I’ve noticed the decline of the smile and the rise of the pout.

So often, I see on social media the pursed lips, the sucked in cheeks and the intense stare down the lens. But the result is a generic photo, devoid of any personality. Whereas a genuine smile is so much more attractive, and unique. When someone smiles, their shoulders drop, their facial muscle relax and they shine. So, on this World Smile Day, my plea to you is to stop pouting and START SMILING. Here is a collection of some of my favourite smiles.