▸ 15AArchive · episodes/all/15

Looking “presidential” in photos

Formal portraits, official photos and big-event pictures — how to come across composed and confident.

Archive note: this address was an individual episode page of the Look Good in Pictures web series (2008–2009). Other websites still link to it. The original episode is not hosted here, and the sources we could open do not say which episode number 15 was. This site is independent and not affiliated with Nikon or Carson Kressley.

What the series said about politics and photos

Nikon’s October 2008 launch release announced an upcoming episode in which Carson Kressley would join a political campaign with political photographer John Harrington. Nikon’s February 2009 release described an episode called “Secrets from the Campaign Trail,” in which Harrington gave advice on looking presidential in photos. That is as much as the public record we found says; the rest of this page is general, sourced guidance for anyone facing a formal portrait — an official headshot, a board photo, a swearing-in, a graduation or a ceremony with a press pool.

Stand like you mean it: angle, then face the camera

Nikon’s “Take Better Portraits” guide calls a straight-on, head-on pose unflattering and recommends angling the body about 45 degrees away from the camera, then turning the head back toward the lens without moving the shoulders. For a dignified official portrait, keep the turn modest so the pose stays upright and open.

Let arms hang slightly away from the torso. A tip Nikon credited to Kressley in its 2009 release is to keep a little space between arms and body, which reads slimmer than arms pressed flat.
Nikon’s guide also notes that angled poses such as crossed arms can make a subject look slimmer.

Chin, camera height and the double chin

Another tip in the same release: have the camera set slightly above eye level and tilt your head a little down and to the side to reduce a double chin. For formal photos, keep the tilt small — a level, steady head reads as composed. If the photographer is shooting from below (common at podiums and stages), you can’t control the angle, so posture matters more: lengthen the neck and lean the face very slightly toward the camera.

Eyes and expression

A smile that engages the eyes as well as the mouth — the Duchenne smile — involves the orbicularis oculi muscle that crinkles the outer corners of the eyes, not just the muscle that lifts the mouth. A closed-mouth version of that smile suits most official photos. Eyes need light to look alive: a catchlight, the small reflection of a light source in the eye, keeps eyes from looking dull, which is why portrait photographers arrange light to create one. If you can choose where to stand, face toward the brightest window or light.

Dress for the formal frame

Career offices that run headshot booths give consistent advice for official photos:

Do	Avoid
Solid colors in medium-to-deep shades	All-white outfits, very light colors
A dark suit or jacket with a solid shirt or blouse	Solid black on its own (it loses detail) unless layered with a jacket
Minimal, quiet accessories	Bold patterns, big logos, flashy jewelry

Details are on what to wear in photos and the headshot checklist.

Big events and crowds

At ceremonies you’re rarely the only subject, and you won’t always know when a camera is pointed your way. Simple habits help:

Keep posture between moments. An upright stance and a relaxed face cost nothing and make any candid frame better.
Face the light where possible. Harsh overhead sun outdoors creates deep eye shadows; the CUNY City Tech portrait course recommends open shade over direct sun on the face. See best light for portraits.
For the group shot, fill in toward the center and make sure your face isn’t hidden behind someone’s head. Canon’s group-portrait guide recommends multiple frames to beat blinks — see group photo tips.

Sources

Reviewed October 14, 2026