Turkey Neck - How to Banish a Double Chin in your Photos

If there is one comment I hear most from women about taking photos, it is regarding the dreaded, double chin. Just in time for Thanksgiving and holiday picture taking, the turkey neck is a subject that I can offer you some advice about!

Before giving you the on-camera tips, keep in mind that the biggest cause of double chins is excess body fat and some people just carry fat on their chin more easily than anywhere else. In this case losing weight is your solution. Our muscles can weaken as we age and the skin becomes looser there, but sometimes you're just born with a little more fat around the chin. It's possible you also have a genetic tendency to retain too much water in this area so check out my post about how to de-bloat. 

A previously non-existent double chin can show up on anyone at some time or another in a photo. But if you are breaking out into a sweat, dreading being asked to take a photo because you can't seem to crack the curse, then we need to break it down and look at why this is happening in your photos but not in real life. Caught off guard like this woman on the left, when someone points a camera lens at them, people seemingly drop their heads back into their necks. Self consciously trying to hide extra rolls, this only worsens the effect,  leaving her looking like a turtle. Standing up straight with her shoulders 

back like mom said to, would have been the quick fix for this girl's double!

There are many techniques that will work to make you stop mutating into a ninja turtle if you can just remember to take a breath and put them into play:

• Make sure the camera is above you, not below eye level. Any photo taken below you will automatically increase a double chin effect as seen here ------------->
• Lean in a bit forward and look up if you're sitting.
• Lift your tongue, resting it behind your front teeth. This action will bring your chin up and naturally tighten the muscles of the neck a bit. 
• Extend your neck out and then bring it down ever so slightly. Your image is to think "swan princess".
• Hide a real double chin by resting your hands underneath your jaw, or by wearing high collars.
• Putting your hair up or wearing it short will make your neck look thinner and longer, especially if you play up your eyes.
• Trick the camera with makeup. Use a darker shade of powder, foundation or bronzer along your jawline and under your chin to make it appear to recede in a photo. Then use a highlighter on the center or tip of your chin to make it pop forward.

Kim K's camera phone twitter pic has another hint hidden in her pose that you can take a lesson from, which is angling her head while jutting her chin forward. Don't forget when you are using a camera phone that you want to make sure you hold it at a slightly higher level than your eyes so you have to raise your head up.

Remember, taking consistently great photos doesn't happen by accident ... they take some practice! 

If you want to learn more about the secrets to taking prettier pictures check out my new book FACE THIS, almost 200 pages full of tips and advice from models, photographers and makeup artists on how to become Picture Perfect! Available on Amazon, Nook, Kindle and iTunes for iPod, iPhone and iPad users.