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 19th century, most people were expected to use a neutral facial expression when being photographed. The expensive and time-consuming nature of early photography reinforced this behavior. In the late 19th century, different aesthetic and behavioral norms required keeping the mouth small, which led to photographers using "say prunes". Smiling became normal while being photographed in the 20th century, as the availability of cameras made photography a more common occurrence. Saying particular words was seen to help subjects have a particular smile, with "cheese" being recorded in 1943 as a word that was said in English. As such, photographers would use the phrase "say "cheese"" to encourage subjects to state the word while the photographer snapped the photo.
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.
Other languages have adopted this method, albeit with different words, to get the desired effect of shaping the mouth to form a smile.
References.
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