Why Do We Say “Cheese”? How Words Shape Smiles in Photos | Knowledge #551

Point a camera at someone, and their expression changes, even if only slightly. The photographer asks them to smile, and they smile for the camera. “Say cheese!” is the familiar cue in this brief exchange.

But why cheese? And what difference can a word make to the smile in a photo? Looking at the cues people use around the world can tell us more about the relationship between photos, words, and the expressions we capture.

“Say cheese!” is simply an invitation to say the word “cheese.” Its long “ee” sound pulls the mouth sideways into something close to a smile. That movement is thought to be one reason the phrase caught on as a cue for taking photos.

The full story behind the phrase is still unclear. A 1943 American newspaper article described former U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union Joseph E. Davies recommending that people say “cheese” when having their photo taken. We may not know who used it first, but by then it was already being suggested as an easy way to bring out a smile.

But shaping the mouth into a smile is not quite the same as capturing an expression that feels natural. The mouth may be smiling while the eyes still look tense. You have probably seen photos like that.
There is the shy look while someone waits for the cue, or the laugh that slips out just after they say the word. Look beyond the instant the shutter clicks to the moments before and after, and you may capture a much wider range of expressions.

People do not say “cheese” everywhere. In Chinese, qiézi, meaning “eggplant,” is a familiar cue for photos. Spanish speakers may say “¡Patata!,” meaning “potato.” In French, “Ouistiti!”—the word for a small monkey—is used to coax a smile from the person in front of the camera.
Names of foods and animals become cues to smile as soon as a camera appears. The words may sound a little strange if you do not know the custom, but saying them aloud can be funny enough to help everyone relax.

Of course, not everyone in the same country or region uses the same cue. Some families have their own phrases, while others make something up on the spot. When you are traveling or taking photos with friends, try asking, “What do you say when someone takes your photo?” The answer may reveal more than a word—it may lead to memories and family habits too.

Learning how someone prompts a smile is also a way to start a conversation with the person in front of you.

Next time you photograph someone, try replacing “Say cheese!” with something else. It could be the name of a favorite food or an inside joke only the two of you understand. Keep the setting and composition the same, but change the cue. You will begin to see how a single phrase can shift both their expression and the mood of the moment.
There is the slightly embarrassed look prompted by the usual cue, the sudden laugh at an unexpected word, and the relaxed expression that appears when they think the photo is over. Put the images side by side, and you may notice something more personal than the size of a smile.

A photo can bring back not only someone’s expression, but also the words you exchanged and the mood of the moment. There is no need to find the perfect replacement for “Say cheese!” Just look for a phrase that fits the time you are spending together. What will you say before taking your next photo?