Carson Kressleys Photo Tips

We caught up with the adorable Carson Kressley (Queer Eye for the Straight Guy) at NYC's The Cutting Room on the set of his series with Nikon: Look Good in Pictures. Our interview includes great tips for looking good in this year's holiday photos -- then read on to watch the most recent episode!

Annie Scott

Annie Scott: What mistakes do even gorgeous people make when taking a photo?
Carson Kressley: It doesn't matter what you look like if you're not having fun. You have to enjoy the process of being photographed, that's what models do so well. Or they can also act like the camera's not there and just be real. You also have to be careful not to oversmile or undersmile. Know your photo face.

Annie Scott

AS: How do you find your "photo face?" Practice?
CK: Practice practice practice, I can snap into my photo face at any time.

Annie Scott

AS: What was your biggest photo disaster?
CK: Oh, I've had plenty. I've had tanning salon goggle eyes, and there's one photo of me where I'm sideways, and I look pregnant. Just, absolutely pregnant.

Annie Scott

AS: What is the best angle to stand in front of the camera?
CK: You know what always works? The twist. Feet 90 degrees from the camera, then twist your torso toward the camera. It makes everyone look great.
AS: Like hieroglyphs!
CK: Yeah, it's like "Walk Like an Egyptian!"
AS: Pose like an Egyptian!
CK: That's right!

Annie Scott

AS: How do you make sure your hair is camera-ready?
CK: Hair Caviar by Alterna. Really, though, just keep an anti-frizz serum in your bag. They're small, like the John Frieda bottle, and you don't want flyaways.

Annie Scott

AS: Okay, especially for the holidays, how do you look sober when you're been drinking?
CK: I recommend Make Up For Ever, which is a high definition powder you can get at Sephora. It keeps your skin bright, matte, and not red, and it can go over anything you're already wearing. The secret to high def. powder is that it's really fine, it feels like silk. ...Or, if you get shiny, blot yourself with anything available. Even a cocktail napkin. And really, just take your photos early in the night.

Annie Scott

CK: Another thing I recommend is using the party setting on your camera. I lot of cameras have this nighttime setting, and what it does is it dulls the flash on your face, and amps up the ambient light, so it creates the illusion of soft lighting, which is what makes everyone look good. So no one would know you'd been drinking, except for the 14 empty highball glasses next to you.

(Photo of StyleList's Annie Scott with Caron Kressley)

Annie Scott

AS: Do you have a tip for men and women as they get older? Should anything change about how you pose for a picture?
CK: It's all about lighting. I know older actresses who show up to TV sets with their own lights. Shadows show wrinkles. Know your flash settings, and you're golden.

Annie Scott

AS: Besides making sure the camera is on the right settings, what can you do to help out when you're taking the picture?
CK: Talk to your subjects. Even have a friend stand next to you and talk to them, make them laugh. It doesn't matter if they don't look into the camera, they'll look natural and not forced.

Annie Scott