Your Resting Bitch Face Might Not Be the Problem

"I have a resting bitch face."

I've heard variations of this from experts who look at photographs of themselves where they're not smiling. They see an expression they think makes them look pissed off, intimidating, or unapproachable.

And their first instinct is to throw those photos out the window.

But what if that expression is actually an important part of who you are and how you operate?

Maybe you're direct, opinionated, and passionate about your work. You don't shy away from uncomfortable conversations because you genuinely care about helping people.

When you're in the middle of making an important point, you're probably not wearing a giant smile on your face.

So why does every photo of you need one?

Sometimes the photograph does need more context.

Let's say there's a photograph of you looking particularly intense.

On its own, someone unfamiliar with you might interpret that expression as anger, arrogance, or a general invitation to leave you alone.

Now put that same photograph alongside a piece of copy where you're passionately explaining why something in your industry needs to change.

You're direct and calling out a problem. 

You're explaining why it matters and what you're doing about it. Suddenly, that serious expression has more context.

The photograph hasn't changed. But the information surrounding it gives someone another way to understand what they're seeing.

Photographs never fly alone.

The words, the message, the placement, and the other visual elements all contribute to the impression someone takes away.

But context can't fix everything.

Sometimes a photograph genuinely creates the wrong impression for the job.

And I'm certainly not suggesting that a few carefully chosen sentences can magically turn an angry-looking portrait into something warm and welcoming.

The question is whether that expression represents something genuine about the person and makes sense alongside what they're trying to communicate.

That's where strategic thinking comes in.

We need to consider what the photograph is showing, where it's going to appear, what surrounds it, and how those elements work together.

Because the objective isn't to make every photograph of you look friendly. It's to give people an opportunity to see more of who you actually are, and what they will experience when working with you.

So before you throw out every photograph where you're not smiling, consider what that expression might communicate in the right context.

That resting bitch face you hate might be showing something about you that's actually worth sharing.