Common instruction used by photographers to make their subjects smile
"Say 'cheese'" is an English-language instruction used by photographers who want their subject or subjects to smile with their lips apart and teeth showing.
History
In the late 19th century, different aesthetic and behavioral norms required keeping the mouth small, which led to photographers using "say prunes".[1]
US astronauts Pete Conrad and Gordon Cooper after their safe return to Earth from space mission Gemini 5 in 1965. Pilot Conrad is jokingly instructing his commander Cooper to say Cheese to the photographers.
In different languages and cultures
Perhaps because of strong western influence, especially in the realm of photography, and perhaps because of increased numbers of western visitors after photographic equipment became widely available, "Say cheese" has also entered into the Japanese language.[citation needed]
Other languages have adopted this method, albeit with different words, to get the desired effect of shaping the mouth to form a smile.
Argentina: "whiskey" ("whiskey", pronounced to end with an ee sound)
Brazil: "Digam 'X'" ("Say 'X'") (the name of the letter "X" in Portuguese (/ʃis/) sounds a lot like the English word "cheese")
China: 茄子 (Qiézi), meaning "eggplant". The pronunciation of this word is notably similar to that of the English word "cheese". In Hong Kong, the phrase is "一,二,三" ("yat yi saam") meaning "1, 2, 3".[2]
Colombia: "whiskey" ("whiskey", pronounced to end with an ee sound)
Netherlands: "Lach eens naar het vogeltje" ("Smile at the little bird"). The English word "cheese" is also often used.
Portugal: "Olha o passarinho" ("Look at the little bird")
Serbia: "птичица" ("Little bird"), which sounds like pteecheetsa
Spain: "di/diga/decid patata" [citation needed] ("say 'potato'"). Also, "mirar al pajarito"[4] ("look at the birdie"), intended to make people look directly at the camera. In other regions, like Catalonia or Valencian Community: "Lluís" ("Lewis").
