Smiling - one of those things that we do without thinking. In fact, the moment you start to think about it, it's really difficult to do.
Remember being told at school that your stories should have a beginning, a middle and an end? Well, it's the same with smiles. And as a photographer, you have to decide which bit of a person's smile you want to capture - do you want a Mona Lisa or a Laughing Cavalier?
Well, I suppose that depends on the context of the picture. If I'm taking family portraits, then of course everyone wants to see lots of smiles. So when we're laughing and joking, I might want to capture that first bit of the smile, when it's at its widest, through the middle bit, when it's relaxed a little, and sometimes down to the end; the smallest smiles can sometimes have the most impact, especially when you want to capture those quieter, more thoughtful moments.
If I'm taking someone's portrait for their company's website, however, I may not want to capture them when they're in mid-guffaw, as it may not be appropriate; so I'll wait until the smile relaxes a little from the big, laughing grin and has just reached the friendly and approachable phase, and then I'll take the shot.
However, no matter who I'm photographing, the most important thing is that they're smiling with their eyes and not just their mouths. That's the difference between a real smile and a fake one.
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