I’ve often heard people complain, “I’m just not photogenic” as if being photogenic was some magic quality that one is either born with or not.  In the interest of “all things Inspirational”, I have my usual differing opinion on this subject.

Being photogenic is simply an acquired grace developed by experience in being in front of the camera, not some mysterious talent endowed to only a few by some higher power.  Actually, anyone can be photogenic who has the proper training as an actor.

Being photogenic is simply the ability to live truthfully under imaginary circumstances when all that attention is focused upon your being.  Most of us freeze up and don’t know how to act, become self-conscious, paste on a smile, and a raft of other uncomfortabilities.

People who are photogenic know how to be themselves in the moment when the world is watching.  They know how to live on as if the world has not turned to look and simply continue doing what they do with a true naturalness.  If you can do this, you can take a good picture.

The Missus, one Julia Wade, just had her new CD pictures taken by a top NY photographer and it was the best shoot she’s ever had.  Why?  I suppose it helps that she’s good lookin’ and is comfortable in her skin, but that’s not really the reason.  When I first met her, she was, in fact, not particularly photogenic.  She would do a shoot and would be hard put to find 4-5 great shots out of the batch.

This past week, she came home with 50-75 stunning photographs that turned our choosing experience from a “I hope we find a good shot” to “there are far too many great ones here to choose from”.

What made this change in her persona possible?  Simple, really.  She’s grown tremendously as an actress over the years.  She knows how to live truthfully in front of the camera.  Instead of “smiling pretty”, she knows how to live her joy, to make strong choices of character in the moments when the camera clicks away.  She knows how to fill her being with commitment to the moment and then maintain that life so that the camera catches real moments instead of pasted on smiles.

We’ve all been in front of the camera with the photographer who says, “Smile!” and then takes the next 20 seconds to push the button while the smile wilts upon our faces.  But the pro knows how to maintain the life and keep it up even while the photographer works on.

The old expression, “Say cheese” is actually the most fraudulent thing you can do.  Think about it.  “Say cheese” means to spread your lips east and west as you mouth the word “cheeeeeese”.  Good lord, you think later, “Why was my smile so phony?”  Because you were just spreading your lips, silly.  You had no real joy.  You were, in reality, saying, “This is what I look like when my lips are in the “cheeeese” position.”

So next time someone hauls out that camera and says, “Smile for the camera”, pay no attention.  Instead, conjure up the happiest moment you can think of in life and live fully inside it in the moment.  Then the photographer will take a picture of you being truly joyful and people will remark to you, “Oh Dorothy, you’re so lucky!  You’re photogenic!”