# Cheese...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese/3381>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 22, 1999, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese/3381 "1999-09-22T06:51:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Rasputin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dec6dc/32.png) [@Rasputin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasputin)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 1999, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese/3381/1 "1999-09-22T06:51:00Z")

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My OK thread inadvertantly gave me the idea for this thread – strange how my mind works…

Anyways, why do photographers tell people to say “cheese” before taking their picture. Obviously “cheese” is a word that brings about something close to a smile when spoken, but it’s usage by photographers is so common and widespread, and there are so many other words that can accomplish roughly the same purpose – there has to be reason, right? (henceforth to be known as my first failed assumption) Again, any thoughts (or preferably facts) would be appreciated.

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“Give a man a match and he’ll be warm for an hour… Set him on fire and he’ll be warm for the rest of his life.”

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**Author:** ![Nickrz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@Nickrz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickrz)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 1999, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese/3381/2 "1999-09-22T09:29:00Z")

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I used to shoot weddings, freelance. Trust me, “Say SEX” works better. “Cheese” relies on the muscular effort required (pulling back the lips, sorta) to provide a “smile.”

The smiles and laughter (especially on the younger members of the wedding party) brought on by the mention of that word (especially in a church or synagog) are much more natural and the pictures were positively “priceless.” - Especially when it came time to pay me.