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Which is the correct way of using the word "Photogenic"

  1. I look more photogenic with these glasses.
  2. These glasses provide me a photogenic look.
  3. These glasses make me look more photogenic.
  4. These glasses make me a photogenic person.

I was just describing a pair of glasses I last purchased. So I had to choose any one of the above four sentences. The complete description that I used is as follows: I purchased red glasses on my last visit. Those glasses provided me a photogenic look. I think so because most of my photos taken during my visit in which I was wearing those glasses look far better than my other photos.

So, I know what the word means. I just need to know how to use it so it sounds natural.

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The first and fourth options sound most natural (regarding the use of photogenic), but overall, each of those sentences have a minor issue..


I look more photogenic with these glasses.

Though this is purely personal preference, I would suggest including on at the end of this sentence, since the the act of being photogenic only happens when wearing the glasses (the converse could also be argued though). I look more photogenic with these sunglasses on.


These glasses make me look more photogenic.

This statement seems slightly redundant by using look, since photogenic already addresses that someone's physical appearance is being considered (and thus, the act of "looking" a certain way is implied). These glasses make me more photogenic.


These glasses provide me a photogenic look.

This statement is slightly off, and would sound better (but still not entirely idiomatic) if structured this way: These glasses provide me with a photogenic look.


These glasses make me a photogenic person.

This statement doesn't sit well with me because it's too explicit due to the use of person. The individual is talking about themselves, so of course person is implied. Instead, I would perhaps change it to: These glasses make me photogenic.


Note: Since the second and fourth sentences are so similiar (in their corrected forms), the second statement is also acceptable.

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    I think the second one sounds most natural, with your recommended variant a good option: These glasses make me more photogenic. Also, I don't see the need to add the word on after I look more photogenic with these glasses – I think it sounds just fine without the on tacked on at the end.
    – J.R.
    Aug 8, 2017 at 16:26
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    @J.R. Yeah, including on is personal preference, I suppose. Maybe if there was more emphasis on these, then I wouldn't think to add on.
    – user30379
    Aug 8, 2017 at 16:41
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    @Charles I think the on is strongly implied. Merely carrying or owning glasses wouldn't make one more photogenic :) Aug 8, 2017 at 17:17
  • @Charles In the sentence "I look more photogenic with these glasses.", look and photogenic are redundant. Can we consider following as a better form of this sentence: "I am made more photogenic by these glasses." Aug 10, 2017 at 9:36
  • @abhijeetpathak For that sentence, although both look and photogenic are used, I don't think that the usage of look is redundant.. The reason because, if you remove look then it "breaks" the sentence: "I more photogenic with these glasses".To fix this, the sentence should read, "I am more photogenic with these sunglasses". With the other sentence though, the one that I did mention as slightly redundant, look can be removed without breaking the sentence.
    – user30379
    Aug 10, 2017 at 10:06

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