How to Be Photogenic: 10 Tips to Look Good in Photos (2026)

Being photogenic isn't something you're born with. The guys who always look good in photos aren't better looking than you in real life. They've just learned, usually without thinking about it, a handful of habits: where to stand, how to hold their face, what to do with their hands, and which light to look for.

I've coached guys on their dating photos for years at Playing With Fire, and the same 10 fixes come up every time. Here's how to be photogenic, with an example for each tip. Every example photo in this guide was made with UnrealPhotos.

How to be photogenic: the quick version

Find your best angle
Use soft, natural light
Smile with your eyes
Stand tall and give yourself space
Give your hands something to do
Look away from the camera
Move instead of standing still
Relax your body
Pick a background that adds something
Take a lot of photos

1. Find your best angle

A smiling man wearing a headset in a helicopter, turned three-quarters toward the camera, giving a peace sign

Almost nobody looks their best straight on. Turn your body about 45 degrees away from the camera and then turn your face back toward it. This three-quarter angle adds shape to your jaw and shoulders and makes your face look less flat.

Most people also have a better side. Take a few selfies of each side in the same light, and you'll usually see it right away. Then make sure whoever's taking your photo is on that side.

Quick fix: push your chin slightly forward and down. It sounds strange, but it sharpens your jawline and stops the double-chin look that ruins so many photos.

2. Use soft, natural light

A smiling man in a beige t-shirt holding a small dachshund on a patio at sunset, with warm light on his face

Light matters more than your face. Harsh midday sun creates dark shadows under your eyes and nose, and overhead indoor light does the same. Soft light from the front or side makes almost everyone look better.

The easiest light is golden hour, the hour before sunset, when the sun is low and warm. Indoors, stand facing a window. Never stand with a bright window or the sun directly behind you, or your face turns into a silhouette.

3. Smile with your eyes

A man in a rust t-shirt laughing while playing an acoustic guitar on a couch

A fake smile is easy to spot, because only the mouth moves. A real smile reaches your eyes and slightly narrows them. That's what people mean by "smizing".

The trick is to stop trying to smile. Think of something genuinely funny, or have the person behind the camera make you laugh, and take a burst of photos during the laugh. The best shot is usually just after it.

If you're not a big smiler, a slight closed-mouth smile with relaxed eyes works too. Just avoid the blank, serious stare in your main photo.

4. Stand tall and give yourself space

A man in a black long-sleeve top sitting upright on a black motorcycle on a city street

Good posture instantly makes you look more confident. Stand or sit tall, roll your shoulders back and down, and let your chest open up.

Take up a little space. Feet shoulder-width apart, arms not pinned to your sides, and weight on one leg rather than both. Hunched shoulders and crossed arms make you look smaller and more nervous than you are.

5. Give your hands something to do

A young man in a checked shirt leaning on a pool table holding a cue

Awkward hands are the most common reason guys look stiff in photos. The fix is to give them a job: hold a drink, a pool cue, your dog's lead, a guitar, or a jacket over your shoulder. Or put one hand in your pocket with the thumb out.

Never let both arms hang straight down by your sides. It's the classic "waiting for the photo to be over" look.

6. Look away from the camera

A man in a patterned short-sleeve shirt standing on a dark sand beach, looking out at the sea under a cloudy sky

Not every photo needs eye contact. Looking off to the side, at the view, or at something in your hands makes a photo feel candid, like someone caught you in a real moment. Candid photos almost always look better on dating apps than posed ones.

Keep your main photo looking at the camera, and use a few looking-away shots for the rest.

7. Move instead of standing still

A man running shirtless along a sunny road with a black dog on a lead beside him

Standing still and posing is when most people freeze up. Movement solves it. Walk toward the camera, walk past it, run with your dog, or turn to look back over your shoulder. Then have your friend shoot a burst and pick the best frame.

A man in a brown leather jacket walking away from a small propeller plane on an airfield, looking to the side

Walking shots work especially well for full-body photos, because your body naturally falls into a relaxed position mid-stride.

8. Relax your body

A man in sunglasses sitting on a rope swing on rocks by the sea, with his hands behind his head

Tension shows in photos: clenched jaws, raised shoulders, fists. Before the photo, take a breath out, drop your shoulders and shake out your hands.

A relaxed pose, like leaning back, sitting on something or putting your hands behind your head, tells people you're comfortable in your own skin, which is exactly the impression you want.

9. Pick a background that adds something

A man sitting on the end of a wooden dock above clear turquoise water full of nurse sharks

A good background makes an ordinary pose look interesting, and a bad one ruins a good pose. Look for clean, uncluttered backgrounds or places that tell a story: a beach, a trail, a nice street, a dock over turquoise water.

Avoid messy rooms, bathrooms, car interiors and backgrounds full of other people. Check the edges of the frame for trash cans, poles growing out of your head and strangers.

10. Take a lot of photos

The final secret of photogenic people is that they don't nail it on the first try. Professional photographers take hundreds of photos to get a handful of great ones.

Use burst mode, try several angles and expressions, and expect to delete 95% of what you shoot. One great photo from 50 attempts is a good result.

Common reasons you look bad in photos

The camera is too close. Phone cameras distort faces at close range, making your nose look bigger. Step back or zoom in slightly.
The angle is too low. Shooting from below adds a double chin. The camera should be at eye level or slightly above.
The lighting is wrong. Overhead light and harsh sun create shadows. Find a window or wait for golden hour.
You're tense. Stiff posture and a forced smile read as uncomfortable.
You're comparing it to your mirror image. You're used to seeing yourself flipped in the mirror, so un-flipped photos can look "off" to you, but not to anyone else.

Want more photos to choose from?

Even with every tip above, getting a full set of great photos takes time, good light and a patient friend with a camera. UnrealPhotos gives you a shortcut: upload a few normal selfies, and it creates natural, candid-looking photos of you with good light, good angles and interesting backgrounds. Every photo in this article was made that way.

For specific poses to copy, see how to pose for pictures and selfie poses for men. For shot ideas, see these profile picture ideas.

FAQ

Can you learn to be photogenic? Yes. Being photogenic is mostly about angle, light, expression and posture, which are all skills you can learn and practise. Nobody looks good in every photo.

Why do I look good in the mirror but bad in photos? Partly because the mirror shows you flipped, which is the version you're used to. Phone cameras also distort faces at close range and often catch you mid-blink or mid-word.

How do I look good in pictures if I'm not photogenic? Start with the three biggest fixes: soft light on your face, a three-quarter angle with your chin slightly forward, and a genuine laugh instead of a posed smile. Then take far more photos than you think you need.

What is the most photogenic angle? For most people, a three-quarter angle with the camera at or slightly above eye level. Experiment with both sides to find your better one.

How do I stop looking awkward in photos? Give your hands something to do, move instead of standing still, and look away from the camera for some shots. Awkwardness usually comes from freezing in place and waiting.

The bottom line

Being photogenic comes down to a few habits: find your angle, find soft light, smile for real, stand tall, keep your hands busy and take lots of photos. Practise them a few times and you'll look better in every picture. And if you need a full set of great photos quickly, UnrealPhotos can create them from a few selfies.