Why does my face look different when I take a photo then the Mirror?

I have a round face, full cheeks and everything and my god I hate having my picture taken with a digital camera because it just makes my face look even larger lol, but when I look in the mirror my face is much thinner. I tried taking a photo several times by myself as well as my sister taking it but they come out to look so weird :s-smilie:

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First of all I have a crap camera, it's only 5MP or something lol. But Im wondering why does the camera not take a photo of how I look like in the mirror?

And also why does every pic I take come out differently, for example my forehead looks either larger or smaller.

I see people in Facebook and their pics come out at great angles and they look like how they do in real life. How is that so? because whenever I take a pic, it's like im a different person facially every time.

(edited 12 years ago)

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Reply 1

Cassius1993

2 main reasons that I can think of:

#1 A mirror is a reflection of your image: your right eye will appear to be your left, etc. It's basically flipped across the Y axis, inverted. A photo is how you will appear to other people.

#2 A photo is a still image or single frame. Your view of yourself in the mirror is at 10000000000000 frames per second or such like :tongue:

Don't worry, this phenomenon happens to everyone. You only notice the difference on yourself because it means more to you!

#2 is probably the most important, it makes your expression appear so unnaturally rigid.

Reply 2

rainbow.panda

I think it's something to do with the fact that you've seen yourself in the mirror that many times you've gotten used to it. A digital photo is a true image of you because it's not mirrored, which is annoying because I look awful in photos but okay in the mirror!

Reply 3

almalibre11111

true me too i look a lot worst in pictures...but in reality im totaly like a greek god ;p

Reply 4

DreamKitty

So which would be the real image of what I look like to the people around me? is it the image im seeing in the mirror or the image I take with my digital camera? lol it's all very interesting but it's freaking me out a bit because it feels like I don't know who is the real me?. It also doesn't help because Im short sighted so I wear glasses but when I wear my contacts once again it feels I can see much more of a 3D image of myself and look different.

Then when I take a photo, I don't look the same everytime. There is photos were my face looks larger or longer. Then other photos where my face can look smaller and much thinner like an oval shape. Heck in one photo I even look like i have a gaunt face lol when I definetly know im far from that!

For instance people say I have a round face but with the camera it looks like my face shape can be anything really lol.

Also is there a way or a particular camera that can take a accurate image without any distortion of what I really appeal and not change everytime I take a pic?

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 5

anoldbaby

coz the mirror reflect oppositely... left to right and vice versa... you probably look at the mirror daily so that became a familiar sight
photo is a much more closely portrait...

Reply 6

SophiaKeuning

And to add on to other people's points, your expression when having a photo taken is probably nervous/awkward because you think you look bad in photos. And some people just can't fake smile. If I'm not feeling particularily happy and someone takes a photo, I look freaky, my mouths smiling but my eyes tell it all baby. :ninja:

Reply 7

MagicNMedicine

Mirrors are more accurate reflection (ho ho) of your real appearance than photos, especially photos where there is a flash involved. A lot of peoples jaw and face shape look exaggerated in photos.

Reply 8

DreamKitty

Ive read articles where it says the mirror reflection is true image because camera's lighting, angle can affect face shape and facial features hence making them either larger or smaller, then other articles wear it says camera image is true.

When I see my face in the mirror it stays the same all the time.

But when I take a pic with the camera my face changes, it is never the same in everypic so say if the camera image is how others see me, how do I know which is the true representation of how I appear to others if I have 10 pics that all look different? :s-smilie:

im very curious!

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 9

x-pixie-lottie-x

i think the main difference is the angle from which there taken...
im not the tallest person in the world and any mirror in our house (the one in my room, the one in the bathroom) i have to tip toe to see myself in them so my face will tend to be angled upwards... a photo tends to be straight on which is very unflattering for m
most... think passport photos... :| cringe!

as others have said a mirror you will always look pretty much the same... a million different faces appear in a photo because of the split second it was captured...
x

Reply 10

poohat

Look at one of your friends in the mirror, and then look at a photo of them. Do you see a difference?

Other than the fact that some photos are more accurate than others (in the sense they capture the expressions people actually make rather than stupid faces), its basically all in your head. Most people dislike how they look in photos, just like everyone hates how their voice sounds when they hear a recording.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 11

PapaShmurff

I think the most accurate way of knowing what you like is to video yourself, moving image like looking in the mirror but the image isn't flipped.

Reply 12

Steevee

A lot of people are saying the mirror is the true image.

But I remember hearing somewhere that this really isn't the case? The article said something along the lines of, you become used to your face and what you want to see, so when you look in the mirror your mind actually adjusts for this, so you never see your true image in the mirror, or very rarely?

Reply 13

silent ninja

At least we know you're not a vampire ...

Reply 14

Fat-Love

Happens to everyone. People notice everyone looks as you expect them to in photos and only their photos come out wrong. Happens to me too. Take the hint. I'd say the photos the true image.

Reply 15

Phillipsherman

Original post by almalibre11111

true me too i look a lot worst in pictures...but in reality im totaly like a greek god ;p

Yeah, Hephaestus...

Reply 16

nmudz_009

I see what you mean but hey, photos can be edited..

Reply 17

diving_queen

Original post by DreamKitty

I used to HATE photographs being taken of me. Because of this.

I would look in the mirror and feel comfortable with my face. (Not 'Woohoo I love me' but comfortable) then i'd see a photo and would look nothing like the person I see in the mirror..

But then I realized that we all have asymmetrical faces. You don't really notice it until photos. E.g. I have wonky eyebrows. And a small mole on the left side of my chin (Real time, not mirror). I also have a slightly protruding lateral incisor on the left side, and a slightly misaligned jaw. This I all accept in the mirror. But when photographed so a reversed picture it all looks ten times worse...and I focus on everyflaw.

It actually bugged me so much I point blank refused to have photos taken and when people did take them I got downright miserable and hated myself. My friends always looked like themselves in the mirror or photos. And they looked pretty. Well ten times prettier than me.

Then I got over it. And stopped being so image obsessed.

Now I am happy with myself. Genuinely happy. I stop obsessing over every flaw (Do NOT type this OP question into google...When I had my mirror/photo issues I did and it made it so much worse. People where moaning about tiny ridiculous flaws and how they were getting/had/wanted surgery to correct them...to the point where all I wanted was surgery.)

So trust me when I say...You are the same person, in the mirror and photos. Except what you may see as flaws when photographed and are horrified its simply you reversed. So everything is like a 'new flaw' when in reality you accepted them in mirror time.

Plus as others have said lighting, distance from the camera, the facial expression you have. Can affect photos.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 18

Steezy

I expected to come on here and see the OP ripped to absolute shi for being so dumb.... But it appears she's not the only one.... Basic, GCSE level physics anyone?