Why Fake Smiles Look Fake. …Yes, There’s Actual Science to Prove It.

Stop Posing: Why Fake Smiles Look Fake (and What to Do Instead). By Kenneth Dolin Photography, Los Angeles.

Why? Because the human face is a terrible liar. But it’s als a world-class truth-teller. And the human eye is a really adept at recognizing artifice. When you're faking a smile, people can tell. It’s hardwired into our DNA. We see disingenuous smiles as less than trustworthy. I call it “used car salesman face.” It’s not good.

A smile is an involuntary reflex. It happens when you FEEL something that MAKES the smile happen. It turns out that your brain doesn’t just control your facial muscles—your feelings do. Your emotions and your expressions are part of the same internal operating system. You can’t just push a button to "smile happy." You actually have to feel something close to joy, curiosity, warmth—or at least mild amusement (like the kind you get from clever blogs about fake smiling)—for your face to light up in a way that reads as real.

The Science Bit (Don't Worry, It’s Quick)

Psychologists call it the Duchenne smile—named after a French neurologist. This is the real smile, the one that lights up not just your mouth, but your eyes. It engages the orbicularis oculi muscles (yes, those are real), causing those little crinkles in the corners of your eyes—the ones you can’t consciously control.

A fake smile? That’s just your zygomatic major muscle lifting the corners of your mouth in a sad pantomime of joy. It’s the difference between a fireworks show and a PowerPoint presentation. Technically impressive, but no one’s clapping.

Why This Matters in Photos

Because how you feel is how you look.

I tell my clients at Kenneth Dolin Photography all the time, “You can't Photoshop authenticity".” When you're faking a smile, the camera catches all the little dissonances: tension in your jaw, stiffness in your eyes, that glimmer of panic that says, "Do I look weird? I feel weird. Help."

And that's why I don't want you to pose.

Most photographers ask you to pose. I ask you to stop posing.

Stop trying to look like something. Start feeling something.

When you're relaxed, when you're actually having fun, when you're connected to a memory or just enjoying a moment of quiet confidence, your face cooperates. Your smile shows up on time and in character. Your eyes get that unmistakable glint of you being you.

So, What Should You Do Instead?

Don’t think, “I have to smile now.” Just do what you feel in the moment. And if we want a smile, I’ll make you smile. I’m good at that. No acting required.

The result? Photos that don’t just show you—they reveal you.

And that’s the magic.

Want to look better in photos? Don’t fake it. Feel it. Because how you feel is how you look.

And I promise—when you stop posing, that’s when the good stuff shows up. Hit me up if you’d like to learn more. info@kennethdolin.com