Should You Smile with Teeth in Your Professional Headshots?

Should you smile with teeth in your professional headshots?
The short answer? Maybe.
I know, I know. That’s not even a little helpful. Let me break this down for you.

Many of us have been trained, from an early age, that any time a camera gets pointed in our general direction, we’re supposed to smile.
Hell, my wife’s parents requested photos from our wedding with the note, “We only want the ones where you are looking at the camera and smiling.”

BUT!
All of us can see a fake smile from a mile away, and the last thing you want in your professional headshot, which is often the first impression someone is going to have of you, is to be fake in any way, shape, or form.

If just pulling the corners of your mouth toward your ears doesn’t get the job done, don’t worry.
The good news is it’s very easy AND only partly your responsibility.

It is my job, as your photographer, to create genuine smiles, and most likely I’m going to do it by making you laugh. Your only responsibility in that moment? Don’t fight it. Be in the moment. Laugh. Have a little fun.
A million things are going to happen on your face in those moments, and I will capture them. The result is smiling shots that actually look like you and feel engaging—not a grown-up version of 3rd grade picture day.

Your headshot is often your first impression. It’s how potential clients, employers, or collaborators get a sense of who you are before you’ve ever met.
And a smile, especially one with teeth, can say:
• I’m approachable
• I’m pleasant to be around
• I’m not going to cause you stress
• I’m confident
• I’m someone you’d want to work with

You are a multi-faceted human. So there’s a solid chance you need more than one expression from your headshots!
Most people break it down something like this:

• For Facebook – something light and personable (full toothy smile)
• For LinkedIn – something a little more subdued, confident, and approachable (non-toothy smile) (here’s why that matters)
• For your website’s about section – confident, expert, trustworthy (non-toothy smile)
• For your contact page – lighter, friendly, inviting (toothy smile)
• For a speaking gig or press feature – either, depending on tone
• For business cards, promo kits, media coverage—you get the idea

The point is: you’re more than one mood. Having a range of expressions gives you flexibility and helps your image resonate in more places.

A fake smile, teeth or not, will never land well. That’s why when I photograph clients, I don’t just ask you to smile. I coach you into expressions that actually feel genuine.
We may take some with teeth. Some with a soft smile. Some more neutral. You’ll see them all, and we’ll pick the ones that actually feel like you (here’s what that process looks like).

What’s also important is who you are day to day. I work with clients who hate big toothy smiles. They say that’s just not them. I also work with people who say, “I smile all the time. I can’t help it!” So that’s what we go for.

Should you smile with teeth in your headshot? Maybe.
It depends on your industry, your personality, and how you want to be perceived.
In my studio, we figure that out together—and we make sure the final image is confident, approachable, and genuinely you.

Ready to book your headshot session?
Click here to schedule now and get headshots that feel like you.