Picture this: you’re gathered with friends or family, someone pulls out a phone, and just before the flash goes off, you hear the magic words: “Okay, everyone, say ‘cheese’!”

We all do it. We hear the word and instantly, our lips pull back into a smile. But have you ever stopped to wonder why? Why "cheese" of all words? Why not 'pizza' or 'happy'?

The story behind this simple phrase is a fascinating journey through technology, culture, and even a little bit of politics. It’s a story that shows how capturing a moment has changed from a stiff, serious affair to the fun, casual click of a button we know today.

So, let's dive in!

The Era of Serious Faces

Let's hop in a time machine and go back to the 19th century. If you were getting your photograph taken back then, you wouldn't be smiling. In fact, it would have been considered strange if you did.

Getting your photo taken was a big deal a formal event, much like having a portrait painted by a famous artist. People dressed in their finest clothes and wanted to look dignified and serious. The famous writer Mark Twain once said that a photograph is a most important document, and "there is nothing more damning to go down to posterity than a silly, foolish smile caught and fixed forever."

But it wasn't just about looking serious. Early photography had a major technical hurdle. long exposure times.

Today, our phones capture a photo in a fraction of a second. Back then, you had to stay completely still for several minutes for the picture to come out clear. Now, try holding a genuine, natural smile without moving a muscle for three minutes straight. It’s nearly impossible! A neutral, relaxed expression was much easier to maintain.

There was one more, very human reason people kept their lips sealed. dental care wasn't what it is today. Many people had missing or discoloured teeth and were simply reluctant to show them off. For all these reasons, smiling was usually reserved for children or, as one report noted, 'the occasional drunk person.'

Before "Cheese," There Were... Prunes?

So, if people weren't smiling, how did the photographer get them to pose? Before cheese entered the scene, many photographers would instruct their subjects to say the word "prunes."

Go ahead, say it out loud right now: prunes.

There’s more to life than simply increasing its speed.

By Udaipur Freelancer

Notice what your mouth does? It creates a small, tight, puckered look. This was the ideal expression for the time. It was seen as sophisticated and composed, fitting the formal and proper ideals of the Victorian era. It was the complete opposite of a wide, toothy grin.

The Big Shift: How "Cheese" Won Our Hearts

So how did we go from the tight-lipped 'prunes' to the beaming 'cheese'? The transition is often linked to the 1940s and has a surprising connection to politics.

According to historical accounts, the popularization of say cheese is sometimes attributed to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The story goes that he used the trick to get people to smile. An ambassador who learned the technique from the President mentioned it, and the idea began to spread.

The genius of the word 'cheese' is in its sound. The long 'ee' sound at the end naturally pulls your lips back and parts your teeth, creating the shape of a smile. It’s a simple trick to get a happy expression, even if you’re not feeling particularly giggly.

This shift also happened as photography itself was changing. Cameras became smaller, cheaper, and faster. With the invention of cameras like the Kodak Brownie, photography was no longer just for the wealthy. Everyday people could suddenly afford to capture their own lives picnics, birthdays, and holidays. Photography became less of a formal event and more of a way to capture fun, spontaneous moments. The stiff, 'prune'-faced portrait just didn't fit anymore.

"Say Cheese" Around the World

As photography and the cheese trick spread across the globe, different cultures put their own unique spin on it. After all, the goal is to get people to smile, and a familiar, fun word often works best.

• In South Korea, photographers often say "kimchi!"
• In some Spanish-speaking countries like Argentina and Colombia, you might hear "whiskey!"
• In India, following the dairy theme, some people say "paneer!"

From Stiff Portraits to Spontaneous Selfies

The journey from prunes to cheese is more than just a change of words. It reflects a complete transformation in how we see ourselves and the world around us.

It marks the shift from photography as a rare, formal ceremony to an everyday part of our lives. We’ve gone from holding a stiff pose for minutes to capturing a fleeting laugh in a split second. The formal, rigid poses of the Victorians have given way to the spontaneous, genuine, and joyful expressions we share today.

So, the next time you’re posing for a picture and someone yells "Say cheese!", you’ll know you’re not just saying a silly word. You’re taking part in a tradition that’s over a century in the making a tradition that celebrates the simple joy of a smile, captured forever.