'non-photogenic' is a modern English formation combining the negative prefix 'non-' (from Latin 'non', meaning 'not') with 'photogenic', which itself comes from Greek roots 'phōt-' (from 'phōtós' meaning 'light') + '-genic' (from Greek 'genikos' meaning 'producing' or 'born of').

'photogenic' entered English in the 19th century (in contexts related to photography), influenced by French 'photogénique' and coined from Greek-derived elements; 'non-photogenic' is formed by adding the productive negative prefix 'non-' to that adjective in modern English usage.

Originally 'photogenic' could mean 'produced by or responsive to light' in scientific contexts; with the rise of photography it shifted to mean 'looking attractive in photographs.' Consequently, 'non-photogenic' now commonly means 'not looking good in photos.'