A great pose with a flat expression rarely works. A so-so pose with real expression often does.
Know Your Face
- Learn your own features, and which angles and light flatter them.
- Watch for a “favorite side.” Leaning on it too much limits your range. Practice the other side until it works for you too.
Train the Muscles
- Expression is muscle control. Practice moving lips, brows, and eyes independently in a mirror.
- Run through a list, such as surprised, bored, curious, or intrigued, and refine each with small changes.
- Don’t be afraid to exaggerate. The camera tends to flatten subtlety.
Direct Your Eyes
- Vary your focus: straight into the lens, off into the distance, or locked on a prop.
- Practice wide eyes, a soft squint, and a wink. Your eyes should carry emotion even when the rest of your face stays still.
Small Tricks
- Softly mouthing vowels (“aaa,” “eee,” “ooo”) shifts your lips subtly without overthinking it.
- A lip bite, a glint of teeth, or interacting with an object, like a finger or a pen, can animate a shot fast.
Next up: Before the Shoot