39 Jokes for Photoshoots: How to Make Anyone Laugh on Camera
The best photo of the day is usually right after someone laughs. Here are 39 jokes and funny prompts that work on every type of shoot, from corporate headshots to weddings to brand content.
Why Jokes Beat “Say Cheese”
“Say cheese” produces a fake smile. Everyone over the age of 6 has practiced their “say cheese” face, and everyone can see through it in a photo. A real reaction produces a real smile: the kind with eye crinkles, the kind that looks like the person actually feels something.
The goal isn’t the laugh. It’s the 2 seconds after, when they’re still smiling but relaxed. That window is where the best portraits happen. You’re not trying to photograph them laughing. You’re trying to photograph them the moment after, when their guard is down and the expression is genuine.
The 39 Jokes
Universal: Work on Anyone
- “Okay this is your most attractive angle… just kidding, they’re all the same.”
- “Pretend you just got a text from your ex. No wait, the good ex.”
- “Think of something embarrassing that happened to you 10 years ago.”
- “You just found $100 in a jacket you haven’t worn in a year.”
- “Your boss just called to say you don’t need to come in tomorrow.”
- “Your Amazon package arrived and it’s exactly what you ordered.”
- “You’re trying to remember if you turned off the stove.”
- “You just remembered a cringy thing you said in 2009.”
- “Someone just complimented your outfit and you said ‘you too.'”
- “You’re trying to look confident but you have no idea what’s happening.”
For Couples
- “Whisper something to them that would make their mother blush.”
- “Tell them something you’ve never told them. A compliment. Actually.”
- “You’ve just been told you’re on a reality TV show. Neither of you knew.”
- “One of you just passed gas. Discreetly.”
- “You’ve known each other 3 minutes and you’re already engaged.”
For Corporate / Headshots
- “You’ve just been promoted. You have no idea what your new job is.”
- “You’re the CEO now. You have no idea what happened to the old one.”
- “Someone in HR is watching. Smile like everything is fine.”
- “You just closed the deal of your life. By accident.”
- “Your LinkedIn just got 1,000 new followers. From a post you didn’t mean to send.”
For Groups
- “Everyone whisper a secret to the person next to you at the same time. Go.”
- “On the count of 3, everyone make your most ridiculous face. Then immediately go back to normal.”
- “One person does a pose. Everyone else has to copy it exactly. I’m not telling you who’s starting.”
- “Tell the person next to you the most embarrassing thing that happened to you this year. You have 5 seconds.”
- “Everyone point at the person they think is most likely to trip walking off this set.”
- “On 3, everyone do their best impression of a confused tourist.”
- “You’re all in a band. Pick your instrument right now. Everyone play it.”
- “Someone in this group just said something nobody can believe. React.”
- “You’ve all just been told you have to stay on this set for another 3 hours.”
- “Everyone do your funniest walk. You have 5 steps. Make them count.”
For Family Shoots
- “Parents, pretend you’re embarrassed by everything the kids just did. Kids. You’re very proud of yourselves.”
- “Everyone point at the person who took the longest to get ready this morning.”
- “Kids, teach the parents your funniest face. Parents. You have to copy it exactly.”
- “You’re all trying to look like the most normal family in the world and it’s going terribly.”
- “Parents whisper something to each other. Kids. You’re completely convinced it’s about you.”
- “Kids, make the most dramatic sad face you can. Parents. You’re trying not to laugh.”
- “Everyone pretend you’re posing for a very serious family portrait. Too serious. Hold it.”
- “Parents. You’re getting the report card. Kids. It’s a great report card.”
- “Everyone do a tiny, secret wave like you’re saying goodbye to someone in the distance. Very subtle.”
When to Use Them
Use 2-3 per shoot, not all 39. The goal is to break the tension at the right moment, not to run a comedy show between every shot. Too many prompts and the energy gets chaotic. Too few and you miss the windows where the best images happen.
Read the energy before you deploy one. Some clients are relaxed and love banter. You can go back to the well multiple times. Others are anxious or formal, and a softer prompt (“you just got the best news of your week”) will land better than a joke that requires them to commit to something silly.
Combine these with posing prompts for the most natural results. A good prompt releases tension in the face and body simultaneously. You get natural expression and natural posture in the same moment.
For the full posing system that works alongside these: start with the photography course and the Photography Posing Prompts guide.
Want to talk through how to build more natural client energy on your shoots? Book a free strategy call.