Smiling in photos

[russianfront]

I have no idea why Russian/Ukrainian women almost never fully smile in their photos?? They smile but its almost always a smile without showing teeth! It is incredible that a woman can send you 20 photos of herself but never once show her teeth!! I really don't understand this cultural phenomenon. Usually when you see their teeth they are just fine so there's really nothing to hide. Its kinda strange to write a woman and say "hey can you give me a FULL smile in a photo"!

[Doll]

I really don't understand this cultural phenomenon.

Same here- I don't understand this American passion to always smile.
And why do you need to see their teeth? Are you a  dentist? 

[SANDRO43]

And why do you need to see their teeth? Are you a  dentist? 

Or maybe a veterinary, they can estimate a horse's age from them .

[UTRO]

Aww Common'!?! Not true, look at my Profile Photo!! 

[Doll]

Or maybe a veterinary, they can estimate a horse's age from them

I've heard they check the teeth to make sure the stomach is OK, because of the horse can't eat properly- it won't work hard. Seriously!
 

[UTRO]

Okay, I'll probably be lashed here by the Russian Members.... I've been told by a few Russians that there is a belief in Russia that nobody can be 'that' happy to be smiling with their teeth constantly?!? That Westerners smiling all the time must be fake and put on, especially smiling at strangers. That Russians smile when they're having fun with Family and Friends. I was once warned not to smile in the Metro because people would think I'm either a mental patient or a 'blue boy'  ???
Thoughts??

[ECOCKS]

This is close to what I have heard too Utro.

Further, if you are smiling like that "too much" you are either a foreinger or mentally deficient since you obviously don't realize how serious of a situation you are facing.

Photos were not nearly as common in the FSU as they have been in the West. I hear lots of reasons, but am frankly too tired to deal with the Russian attack dogs if I trot out some of the theories and thoughts on the subject. Maybe next week.

With regard to the business environment, the one smiling is in a  weaker position.

[Gator]

I recall the true story of a Russian businessman going to his first business meeting in America.  When he walked into the room, everyone was smiling at him.  He had no idea what he was doing to make people smile.  So he looked at his fly, thinking he was unzipped.

[UTRO]

When I first met Svetlana's Papa and Mum in February 08' they showed me quite a few photos of the family. One particular set of photos stuck in my mind. It was an album which showed Papa and Mum visiting rest/health sanatoriums in the Crimea over various summers during the Soviet years. Every year there was a Group Shot taken of the Vacationers. In the early Group Shots the men were wearing dark suits. As the years went by those suits became more colourful and became sport and leisure suits, polyester I'm sure ..... but still, nobody smiled 
Fast forward to 2009 and our Wedding in Jamaica... Papa was the hotest dresser at the Resort and never stopped smiling and joking. He even ditched the speedo and bought a Western surfer dude bathing suit!

Papa in Orange

[JR]

Okay, I'll probably be lashed here by the Russian Members.... I've been told by a few Russians that there is a belief in Russia that nobody can be 'that' happy to be smiling with their teeth constantly?!? That Westerners smiling all the time must be fake and put on, especially smiling at strangers. That Russians smile when they're having fun with Family and Friends. I was once warned not to smile in the Metro because people would think I'm either a mental patient or a 'blue boy'  ???
Thoughts??

I was told pretty much the same thing several times when I brought up this issue in the early nineties.

[russianfront]

You guys crack me up.
In the 3 times I have been over there I was warned not to smile on the streets as it would be a dead give-away that I am not Russian...oh like my "long" head doesnt already do that...

But why on earth would a beautiful lady refuse to fully smile in a private photo. Sure I like sexy sly smiles but come on! Can you imagine going all the way over there to meet a girl who was super attractive and she smiles and oh god she is missing her front teeth lol!
Oh well thats what we have orthodontics for I guess..

[Doll]

Thoughts??

You know the answer- there is nothing bad in both smiling or not smiling.

[Lily]

You guys crack me up.
In the 3 times I have been over there I was warned not to smile on the streets as it would be a dead give-away that I am not Russian...oh like my "long" head doesnt already do that...

But why on earth would a beautiful lady refuse to fully smile in a private photo. Sure I like sexy sly smiles but come on! Can you imagine going all the way over there to meet a girl who was super attractive and she smiles and oh god she is missing her front teeth lol!
Oh well thats what we have orthodontics for I guess..

It is in the culture, russianfront. As people told here, Russian smiling habits are different from the Western usage.

On your last question, she does not smile probably because that as a Russian she has no idea on what a big smile would add to her image as portrayed in the photo. Some women may be thinking that a 32-teeth smile may show them in a rather negative way (see Russian attitude to smiling) than making her looking more attractive.

My mother for instance was advocating the point that no way I should make a full smile on the photo, because that would make me look less serious, and that would be a not allowable behavior for me I only should smile very little, with my lips corners, and in a modest way. Among my young photos I occasionally found one private picture with a full smile shot by a friend, and I remember that my mother disapproved of it, commenting that I don't look decent on it.

But as far as I understand the Western 'big smile thing', I try to use mostly the full smile photos, like this on the avatar. But I admit, it is not that easy for me to make this kind of smile.  

Also, one should not forget that the less than good teeth may be the reason for little smiles as well.

[Doll]

You know the answer- there is nothing bad in both smiling or not smiling.

oooops, you don't know- thought you were a RW 

[Doll]

Can you imagine going all the way over there to meet a girl who was super attractive and she smiles and oh god she is missing her front teeth lol!

You ARE a dentist! 

[Doll]

see Russian attitude to smiling

It is not "Russian" if you think of many other nations- take France, Germany, Mexica, Middle East, etc. 

[Gator]

It is not "Russian" if you think of many other nations- take France, Germany, Mexica, Middle East, etc. 

Doll,

I do not know why you put Mexico on your list.  Mexicans think Americans do not smile enough, especially when conversing.

[Shadow]

You guys crack me up.
In the 3 times I have been over there I was warned not to smile on the streets as it would be a dead give-away that I am not Russian...oh like my "long" head doesnt already do that...

But why on earth would a beautiful lady refuse to fully smile in a private photo. Sure I like sexy sly smiles but come on! Can you imagine going all the way over there to meet a girl who was super attractive and she smiles and oh god she is missing her front teeth lol!
Oh well thats what we have orthodontics for I guess..

Russians and many other European do not smile on order. If you ask a lady for a photo with a full smile its something she will not be able to find easy, or that she will have to fake, which will reflect badly.
Give her something to be happy about, and you will see the smile.

[Chicagoguy]

I do a lot of photography and one thing I did notice is that the Russian women can really strike a nice pose when I take a picture. The Americans might smile but they stand like a statue.

[russianfront]

Excellent observations all. Its so interesting that in this day and age we have these cultural differences that are so large! It really does make the world a more interesting place. Now I understand.

[Blues Fairy]

I'd say the reason is quite simple: not all RW have perfect front teeth and many have taught themselves to smile with closed lips.  Aesthetic dentistry is expensive and braces for kids have not been very common.  Plus coffee, cigarettes, red wine... 

[SANDRO43]

I think it's also generational: young FSUW often display full-toothed smiles in their profile photos, and seem more at ease in front of a camera - Vogue's influence, maybe ?

[Misha]

My wife has nice teeth, is happy and has a does not show teeth when she smiles. Some of her friends have grins that make the Cheshire Cat look subdued. Individual variation does play a role.

[Gator]

What I call the "Russian smile" could be imprinted when young.  Even in school photos students are not smiling.

If you want to see some sour faces, just ride the metro.  And they do this twice a day, every day!  Sheeesh.....

[Doll]

I do not know why you put Mexico on your list

For same reason- I barely know anything about Mexicans  (like the OP guy)