Projecting Charisma

    When I photographed Donald Trump, his flamboyance was on display. The location was a restaurant in New Hampshire. He arrived in a stretch limousine. If my memory serves me well, no other passengers sat inside the car.
    His charisma was obvious. People thronged to him. At the time, he wasn't even a candidate.
    The same reaction occurred when I first photographed Barack Obama. He showed up at a bookstore event. He wasn't yet a candidate. People seemed in awe of him.
    I photographed Mother Teresa, another person regarded as charismatic. She smiled often. Her expression came across as genuine.
    I've looked up the traits of charismatic people. One trait jumped out: Charismatic people smile a lot. And their smiles don't appear fake, even if those smiles in reality aren't sincere. Sure, Trump often scowls. But up close and personal, he also smiles. So does Obama.
    Charisma can be acquired. That means smiling often and in a manner that appears natural.