What is the real meaning of Photogenic and why it should not be applied to snapshots

pho-to-ge-nic |ˌfōtəˈjenik|
adjective
1 (esp. of a person) looking attractive in photographs or on film

The definition of photogenic -as you can see here- is about looking attractive is an image. Now what I cannot stop underlying is the fact that many women bring as example the images of themselves shoot from some friends with a phone camera. Despite being advocates of not linking the quality of a photo to the gear used to take it, we also advocate the quality of the photographer. In our opinion taking an unflattering photo is simple, while making sure to frame the beauty of every woman requires skills and practice.
If you are one of those who think they are not photogenic, let me ask you a question: when is the last time you had your photos professionally taken?

Being Photogenic is like being the sugar, not the cook

What many people think is that being attractive in photo has a lot to do with the subject and almost nothing to do with the photographer. That would equal to say that a cake being tasty has more to do with the sugar than with the cook.
You don’t want a professional photographer to serve you cakes, but you you want one to portray you for your beauty, for the sparkle in your eyes and for that “je ne sais quoi” that makes you a beautiful woman!
Yes, we believe there is beauty in everyone and that everyone can look good in the images under the right circumstances.

Everyone has her own good angles

The idea of being photogenic or not is often triggered by looking at photos where the right angle of the face is shown or not. Admittedly there are people that are “simple” to photograph, because every angle works for them. This does not mean that there are people who do not look good in camera, it means that those people should be photographed in a specific way; understanding how a person looks better comes with experience and attention to details, to knowing the light and using it in the best way.
Before saying that the you don’t like cakes, make sure you will eat one cooked for you by a chef, and not from someone who have no experience in the kitchen.

Do you love the images of your photographer?

One of the most important things while selecting your photographer should be one simple question: do you love their photos? Being photographed should never be a price war, neither for the photographers nor for you. Having your photos taken should be a journey, an experience, and you should pick the style, not just the price. If you don’t love a specific photographer’s results on other women, do you really think you will love the results on you? Photographs are memories and good memories will live forever, so before choosing your photographer, make sure you invest in something you would love to see yourself in.

To look good in camera you should forget about the camera

Some people are very aware of cameras, and they change when they feel the cameras on themselves. It happens to a lot of people, to us as well, and a trait of a good photographer is the ability to make you forget about the camera. You should feel at ease, you should be able to have a personal relation with who is photographing you, forgetting that sometimes there is a camera between you two.
Allowing you to forget about being photographed is similar to the idea of “being photogenic”: a good photographer will know how to make it happen and it will make it happen!