Nobody is Unphotogenic — They Just Haven’t Worked With the Right Expression Coach
Almost every person who walks into my studio says the same thing:
“I’m not photogenic.”
Or:
“I hate photos of myself.”
Or my personal favorite:
“Good luck — I never look good in pictures.”
Let me be blunt:
Nobody is unphotogenic.
What they are is unsupported. Uncoached. Unprepared for a process they’ve never been guided through.
People don’t need “better faces.”
They need better direction.
As a professional headshot photographer, I can confidently say the problem is almost never the person. It’s the lack of expression coaching — the art of helping someone look like the most natural, confident, relaxed version of themselves in front of a camera.
Here’s why “unphotogenic” isn’t real — and why the right expression coach changes everything.
1. Being Photogenic Is Not About Your Face — It’s About Your Comfort Level
People think they don’t look good in photos because they’re comparing themselves to:
A forced smile
A stiff jaw
A tense neck
A deer-in-headlights stare
This isn’t “how they look.”
This is what happens when they’re uncomfortable.
Expression coaching eliminates that tension. When someone feels seen, guided, and supported, their entire face changes — instantly.
Comfort = photogenic.
2. Most People Have Never Been Taught How to Use Their Expression
Smiling is not expression.
Neutral is not expression.
Looking “professional” is not expression.
Expression is intention — and most people have never learned how to control it.
They don’t know:
Where to put their eyes
How to access confidence
How subtle changes shift tone
How to create presence without forcing anything
How to bring character into a corporate or actor headshot
A great expression coach shows you exactly how to do this, moment by moment.
3. The Right Coaching Brings Out the Version of You That Everyone Else Sees — Not the One You Fear
People often dislike photos because the camera captures them in a moment of:
Uncertainty
Overthinking
Self-judgment
Tension
Performance mode
But that’s not the version of you your friends, colleagues, or clients see.
Expression coaching helps you drop the internal commentary and reveal the person you actually are — the person everyone else already believes in.
4. A Great Expression Coach Gives You Micro-Adjustments That Make Macro Improvements
These tiny adjustments make enormous differences:
Soften the lower eyelids
Bring intention behind the eyes
Slight lean toward the camera
Relax the jaw
Loosen the lips
Shift weight subtly
Adjust chin angle
Activate or deactivate certain facial muscles
These micro-shifts transform a headshot from:
“Yeah, that’s okay…”
to
“Wow — that’s me, but better.”
5. Being Photogenic Is a Skill — Not a Genetic Talent
You weren’t born knowing how to speak confidently, present professionally, or walk into a room with leadership energy. You learned those skills.
Being photogenic works the same way.
The right coach:
Pulls out intention
Builds comfort
Gives direction
Reinforces the best angles
Shapes expression
Helps you access confidence on command
Once you understand how to work with the camera, everything changes.
Final Thought
The idea of being “unphotogenic” is a myth.
What people really mean is, “No one has ever taught me how to bring out my best on camera.”
With the right expression coaching, anyone — actor, executive, entrepreneur, or team member — can look natural, confident, and compelling.
If you’ve spent years believing you’re unphotogenic, you simply haven’t worked with the right coach yet.
To book a session and experience the difference for yourself:
michaelpearcephotography.com