Looking Good in Pictures?

[Fearmie]

Hey guys! I have a little problem! I'm really unphotogenic. I never fail to look terrible in pictures. XD
It happens out side of cosplay too. I see my self in the mirror and say "Girl you lookin' fine!" and go grab a camera and then look terrible in the pic! D:

I really want to get some tips ways to correct this before my next con! Anybody have suggestions? What do you guys do to stay looking fabulous?  

[Aurora Sonata]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder! (っ｀Д´)っ

Ever tried makeup? Lol...  

[Fearmie]

Aurora Sonata

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder! (っ｀Д´)っ

Ever tried makeup? Lol...

Of course I have! XD  

[Aurora Sonata]

This might help with your being 'unphotogenic' as you claim to be:

http://www.digitalcameratracker.com/5-steps-to-being-more-photogenic/  

[Kira the wanderer]

The most important thing to watch for is lighting and where the shadows fall on your face/body. Shadows in the wrong places can turn pictures horrible, even if you don't notice in real life. A lot of people on Cosplay.com have suggested you practice poses and angles to see what works best when you or someone else takes pictures of you. Play around with your own camera and see how things work, it could be a camera setting or simply a matter of how you stand that can really make or break the photo.  

[Pearlescent Priestess]

Try taking more pictures outside rather than inside. Most of the times, the places where conventions are held have great lighting for real life, but it fails for taking pictures. Outside usually has great natural lighting unless the sun is directly behind you (though for an artistic shot, that might work too, or it's rainy/ nighttime) The best outside weather to have would be just slightly overclouded because then the light is dispersed evenly and shot look rather nice, but it works when it's sunny too. You just don't want it to be too dark.  

[Pearlescent Priestess]

Musical Panda

And every time you ask him for another vanishing act,
he half smiles as if to say...

(I apologize in advanced for hijacking your thread to ask a question, I figured this was the best place to put it.)

Does anyone have any tips on how to not blink during pictures? It seems more than half of the pictures taken of me have me in a half-blink of sorts, so I looked stoned even though I've never even touched drugs in my life.

..."Whatever you want,
whatever you want,
whatever you want is fine by me."

Try making a conscious effort to keep your eyes open (if you don't already) I have a horrible squinty eye problem (I swear I don't do it on purpose to be "moar azzznn") so I decided to make a conscious effort to not smile too wide (it makes your eyes more squinted) and keep my eyes open. Not too wide, because then you look weird, but just open your eyes a bit wider than normal, and it should work.

If the flash is what's doing it, then that should pass with time.

I hope at least a bit of this helps. Sorry if it doesn't. DX  

[TigerLilyChick]

My mom is the same way. She calls herself PYT (Pretty Young Thing. If you haven't heard of that Michael Jackson song, you wouldn't have gotten it), but she hates how she turns out in pictures.  

[User_1017918]

Practice poses!

Don't be afraid to take control of the shot either. I love getting photo's taken of me and I make a serious effort to thank each person who does take a photo. Often times if your polite and eager to do so then most people will be willing to let you control the shot.

Now I don't mean like demand perfect lighting and angles and such but more along the lines of shifting away from overly bright areas and moving to a slightly better location.

STRIKE A POSE!!

Shots look a hundred times better when your not just standing there looking bored. If your playing an action character then strike one of their poses. If your playing a non action character then pick several poses they would normally do. ( Holding your deathnote open while writing..etc ) Just have fun with it and the more you put into it then the better the photo will come out for you and them.  

[Saint of Swords _SoS]

I try to memorize a few poses I saw my character do.
Problem is most of the time i'm always holding stuff like my camera so I have to find a friend to take it off my hands for the pic.  

[User_1017918]

Saint of Swords _SoS

I try to memorize a few poses I saw my character do.
Problem is most of the time i'm always holding stuff like my camera so I have to find a friend to take it off my hands for the pic.

I had that issue before so I stopped carrying stuff besides the bare essentials like wallet and con badge. Typically I work out like a kind of cycle for when I'm in cosplay. Like if it's complicated then I wear it for like two hours and switch out to regular clothing for an hour. I tend to use the AB forum to see when photoshoots are going on and schedule them into my phone and an alarm to let me know an hour ahead so I can go change or get ready for it. I never buy stuff in the dealer room in costume unless it's an exceptional deal that I know will disappear like fast.

Sometimes I carry like a cyclist bag which has one strap like a messenger bag but goes on your back. The one strap has a velco clasp so you can just pull it apart and put it to the side without having to struggle to get it off your back and over your costume.  

[Fearmie]

Thanks for the tips guys!  

[Jack Bones]

Those are really cool advices, i have that issue to (i look weird on pictures) of all the pictures i have taken of me this 2 are the best i have seen.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e60/Jack_Bones/Picture962.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e60/Jack_Bones/DSC03383.jpg

It may be only a thing of mine, but i dislike posing for a pic (unless im cosplaying), it takes the charm of the moment