The Student Room Group

Why do I look decent in mirrors...but in photos I look wretched???

Scroll to see replies

Original post by uxa595
Really?
I personally think it's immature to dress up as a dude when you're a girl...


But he isn't a girl, gender =/= sex.
Reply 21
Original post by IndianDancer
well why doesn't it alter what we see in pictures to please us?


I don't really know, my teacher told us and I really didn't bother asking about it, maybe because its a reflection?
Original post by uxa595
Really?
I personally think it's immature to dress up as a dude when you're a girl...


your existence is such a fail.
Reply 23
This has always bothered me. I don't even join in anymore when I'm out & people take group photos. Anyway **** THE CAMERA. LONG LIVE THE MIRROR.
Reply 24
Good Point OP;

I look different in Mirrors as well, depending on the light / Angle - and It can make me look terrible if its at night time in an outside reflection under light e.g. Car Windows
I look different in mostly every photo aswell.

I would love to be able to see my true image of what people see when they look at me - I hope its not the terrible version, but considering that it's only when its under a certain mirror angle or light :/.

I always assumed Camera's didn't pick up all my skin detail so made me look better than I actually do , same with Mirrors?
Reply 25
Original post by LipstickKisses
This, or just video yourself. :tongue:

It goes video - mirror - photo in accuracy.


really? isn't everyone else here saying photo is more accurate than mirror?
Original post by newts2k
really? isn't everyone else here saying photo is more accurate than mirror?


Photo isn't more accurate, look at my longer post.
Reply 27
Original post by uxa595
Because lesbians dressed as men are usually not good looking. Just sayin'


Original post by uxa595
Really?
I personally think it's immature to dress up as a dude when you're a girl...


Shut up.

And on topic, I still find it surprising when I'm on webcam and I move on the wrong side.
Reply 28
Original post by LipstickKisses
Photo isn't more accurate, look at my longer post.


but were you saying that video>mirror>photo. By your longer post does that mean that you appear more as though you do in real life in a mirror instead of photo due to different dimensions?
Original post by newts2k
but were you saying that video>mirror>photo. By your longer post does that mean that you appear more as though you do in real life in a mirror instead of photo due to different dimensions?


Exactly, but it's still not as accurate as a video due to a video not being reversed.
Original post by NightFire411
This has to be the world's greatest mystery. I will look in the mirror and think I look ok.....but when I see a picture of myself I look like something out of a horror movie....

Why do I look better in mirrors than in photos?


I look hideous in photos and it's like a mystery among my friends, they're like "What is wrong with your face in photos? Why does it do that?" They maintain I look nothing like this in real life so I try to ignore photos.
Reply 31
Apparently, you adjust your face when you come into contact with a mirror. You should try closing your eyes and relaxing, then opening up again. I tried that, wasn't the best of sights. :/
Me too i'm so unphotogenic it isn't funny. There is the occasional picture taken that i don't mind but in general i look hideous in photos :sad:

I look so different in most of them and it's weird. I think whoever mentioned the flash has a really good point. Photos taken in a club in particular will have a really strong flash and they tend to pick out every slight flaw in my face and make me look disgusting. Whereas if its taken somewhere else i'll look more.. acceptable.

Original post by alice4thamoon
I look hideous in photos and it's like a mystery among my friends, they're like "What is wrong with your face in photos? Why does it do that?" They maintain I look nothing like this in real life so I try to ignore photos.


Same here. I reeeeeeeeally hope they're not just trying to make me feel better :/
Reply 33
beacuse mirrors show the flip version of you :smile:
Original post by sr90
Me too i'm so unphotogenic it isn't funny. There is the occasional picture taken that i don't mind but in general i look hideous in photos :sad:

I look so different in most of them and it's weird. I think whoever mentioned the flash has a really good point. Photos taken in a club in particular will have a really strong flash and they tend to pick out every slight flaw in my face and make me look disgusting. Whereas if its taken somewhere else i'll look more.. acceptable.



Same here. I reeeeeeeeally hope they're not just trying to make me feel better :/


I think they're being honest!

here's how it is.


Mirror= how we 99% see ourselves
Camera/photos= 1%

When we see ourselves in pictures it's a shock because everything is how EVERYONE ELSE sees it. Our faces aren't 100% symmetrical, but after your whole life of mirrors you become accustomed and it's normal and you don't notice. Which is the important thing to take in here. We think.. WTF I look weird, because you notice all the flaws on your face. But everyone else has been seeing you how you look in your photos your whole life..

It feels weird, because my ears aren't the same shape, but in mirrors they are, check my photo lol
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 35
It's just a matter of perception on a subconscious level I guess. We see ourselves as better looking than we realy are... I read an article about it once... I don't remember much (I can't find it either) but from what I do recall there was some research in which a number of people were photographed and the researchers took each person's photo and made 12 altered copies (6 looking worse and 6 better). Then the 12 copies and the original were returned to the person without them knowing which were altered and they were asked to identify the original. Most failed and pointed an enhanced copy.
I guess the way we see ourselves and reality just don't mix.
Reply 36
When you look in the mirror it is a reflection so the image you see of yourself is reversed to what other people see, cameras are what people really see of you and you're just not used to seeing yourself like that so people think they look bad. Look in the mirror and hold up another mirror and look in the mirror you're holding and that's what people see... if that makes sence.

What was the point in negging me?
(edited 12 years ago)
ohh I know what you mean, I look awful in photos 99% of the time. I feel genuine panic when i'm tagged in photos on facebook, my friends all have this joke about how I can look nice on a night out but terrible in all the photos. I just really hope how I look in the mirror is the way I really look!
Could be a number of reasons...lighting, your pose, angles.
I am not photogenic either, but it's actually become better with time.
I know I am in fact unphotogenic because I've had people say it to me from an objective point of view - a professional photographer told me that he finds it difficult to really "capture" me well on pictures, I just turn into this different person. I don't necessarily look hideous, but my face doesn't capture light very well , I don't have a lot of "depth" in my bonestructure. It is symmetric and I have quite big eyes and lips, but not a strong jaw and a bit of a small, round nose. The light can easily create the wrong shadows, which means lighting is extremely important for me.
Sometimes you can work on your angles and see what makes you look good in pictures. But some are just more photogenic than others. After all, I find it a comfort that if someone sees my picture and then meet me in real life, I'll look way better. A good friend of mine looks smashing in pictures but in real life she has a very masculine and unappealing face. My sister met her once (after only seeing photos..) and was shocked. So I think it's better to be in the position you're in! :smile:

Quick Reply

Latest