Camera or Mirror? The real you

[nerdvain]

For those who notice a difference...

It's both an internal and external debate on which other people see: the you in the mirror or the you in pictures that makes you gag.

You know. You look in the mirror before going out one night, and you like what you see. Your hair's good, your skin looks nice. That outfit looks got. Dammit, you're gonna rock wherever you're going and knock 'em dead.

Then the next day, you look at pictures others' took and think, "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT."
Then you spend the rest of your day untagging Facebook photos and feeling like the Cryptkeeper.

Some people say the flash ruins you and that the mirror's definitely more accurate. Others say when you look in the mirror, your perception's altered by your brain and you perceive yourself as more attractive to protect your own ego.

What do you guys think? What do you like better, and which do you think is more realistic?

Me, I really hope it's the mirror. ;_;

[JohnnyBoy]

Whatever is showing my left side (my good side )

[toremi]

It's definitely the photos... it sucks but it's the truth.

The same as your voice isn't what you hear in your head when you speaking; it is what you hear on recordings of your voice -- and lemme tell you that ain't pretty and it is generally a whole hell of a lot worse than any fbook fotos.

I have seen some pretty grotesque fotos of myself but what really has me wondering how I still have friends is the painfully obnoxious hillbilly twang that comes from my mouth when I speak..

Yeeeesssssh.

I sound like I belong on the hills have eyes, next to the guy with one eyeball and a sole patch of long stringy hair on the top of his head.

[Ridiculous]

This is because most of the time we only see ourselves in a reflection, and therefore all our features are mirrored onto the opposite side from which they actually are. We are used to this, because it is all we ever see.
However when we see ourselves in a photo, all our features are on the other side and it looks different in comparison, so we perceive ourselves as looking bad simply because we look different to what we are used to.

The opposite happens for other people looking at you: they are used to seeing you in person and therefore think you look fine in photos. However, if they stood next to you and looked at your reflection in a mirror, they would think you looked strange because they have never seen you with your features flipped.

So when other people say you look fine in a photo when you think you look like crap, they aren't just saying it to make you feel better.


For that reason obviously I prefer the mirror . Mirrors do allow you to sort out your hair and pose and everything though.. a photo that someone randomly takes of you will probably catch you in the middle of a stupid expression.

[alan t]

this totally happens to me. I look in the mirror and think I look good, then I take a photo of my own reflection in the mirror and it turns out terrible.

[thedreamwatch]

I dunno about that whole voice recording more accurate thing. My best friend says that I sound totally weird on the phone even though I sound normal to myself...does that mean anything or is it just me not knowing anything about this whatsoever? lol

And as far as which is more accurate for looks, I have no idea. But when we're looking in the mirror we have everything exactly how we want it. We're standing in a way that we like, have a facial expression we like and our clothes are arranged how we like them. In photos, it's not like you had time to check all that stuff and make sure it's perfect. Does that make a difference? Maybe.

[needshelp]

man, honestly, i've looked at myself in the mirror and photos and it's tiring actually. worrying about looking good is too much stress for me. you know, i say screw everybody and just look however you want to look. if someone thinks you're ugly, then let em. all that is unnecessary stress.

[Just Adam]

I look bad regardless of what captures my image.

[Allegro molto]

I look like a monstrosity regardless. Lol.

[J Snow]

Okay, I'm writing this on my 3ds in bed so I may buther this explanation, but I've had this phenomena explained in my psych classes.

I believe the reason this happens is because the face recognition center of our brain resides in the right hemispere. Since visual information from our left field of view is sent to the right hemisphere and decoded there, the right side of someone's face (which appears to the left from your perspective) is really what we really use to identify faces.

When you look in the mirrior, your face is reversed, thus your brain is recognizing you by the left side of your face as opposed to the right. Thus, when you see a photo that isn't revesed you look very different. Likely you just think you look worse because its not how you are used to seeing yourself.

[catcherinrye2]

I look in the mirror and I think I look good, but when I get a picture of myself, I always think I look awful.

[nerdvain]

I see what you guys mean by the photograph being realistic.

But I don't know...I feel like there's obviously some distortion going on. Flash on a camera (especially when close-up) eliminates the shadows on your face, thus flattening it, makes you appear pale(r in my case), and really makes blemishes stand out. Not to mention I feel like there's some warping from the lens if the picture is at some strange angle.
I'm speaking of point-and-shoot cameras, of course.
I don't experience the phenomena of "holy shit, I'm so very ugly" quite as much when seeing myself in video. I've gotten professional portraits done, and I haven't hated them, either. Those mediums have me looking not quite so disgusting.
I guess it's the disparity between looking at yourself in a mentally prepared state (ex. in the mirror) versus looking at yourself during a random moment captured (and often in spontaneity).

[WeirdnessMagnet]

Yes, most photos are unflattering... To the photographer and his lack of skill and perceptiveness.

Most of the time they're lit and exposed so wrong you want to cry. CCD matrix (or film) aren't really responding to light in the way real human eye does. They typically require orders of magnitude more light, they don't balance colours or focus the way real eyes do on a real scene. Their dynamic range is pitiful compared to eye's, resulting in "whiteouts" and "blackouts" real eye wouldn't see. People forget about it all the time and think that simply because it's a photo it MUST look like what you really saw. Nothing is further from the truth.

It's a still. A still can be very unflattering the way that same pose and expression wouldn't be as a part of a motion. Just try it with a footage of your favourite celebrity, - finding REALLY GOOFY frames wouldn't be any problem. Author does not bear any responsibility for resulting disillusionment.

It's a perspective projection, not a real 3d scene. Half the info your brain ought to use to figure what's going on simply isn't there.

So, no, crappy photos aren't "real you" or even "how others see you," unless they see you only in these photos, that is. Studio shots aren't really "you" either, but they're actually closer, as long as they don't rely too much on retouching. And you can easily see real you in the mirror.

---------- Post added 18th Jan 2012 at 09:30 PM ----------

Originally Posted by nerdvain

But I don't know...I feel like there's obviously some distortion going on. Flash on a camera (especially when close-up) eliminates the shadows on your face, thus flattening it, makes you appear pale(r in my case), and really makes blemishes stand out. Not to mention I feel like there's some warping from the lens if the picture is at some strange angle.

Flash is usually the biggest offender, yes, - in reality light almost never falls straight-on like that. There are tricks pro photographers use to diminish the effect, like aiming flash at the ceiling, or using external flashes, but with P&S cameras the only real way I found is to just forget the stupid thing exists and crank up the sensitivity, try and hold camera REALLY STEADY and hope for the best.

[nerdvain]

Originally Posted by WeirdnessMagnet

Yes, most photos are unflattering... To the photographer and his lack of skill and perceptiveness.

Most of the time they're lit and exposed so wrong you want to cry. CCD matrix (or film) aren't really responding to light in the way real human eye does. They typically require orders of magnitude more light, they don't balance colours or focus the way real eyes do on a real scene. Their dynamic range is pitiful compared to eye's, resulting in "whiteouts" and "blackouts" real eye wouldn't see. People forget about it all the time and think that simply because it's a photo it MUST look like what you really saw. Nothing is further from the truth.

It's a still. A still can be very unflattering the way that same pose and expression wouldn't be as a part of a motion. Just try it with a footage of your favourite celebrity, - finding REALLY GOOFY frames wouldn't be any problem. Author does not bear any responsibility for resulting disillusionment.

It's a perspective projection, not a real 3d scene. Half the info your brain ought to use to figure what's going on simply isn't there.

So, no, crappy photos aren't "real you" or even "how others see you," unless they see you only in these photos, that is. Studio shots aren't really "you" either, but they're actually closer, as long as they don't rely too much on retouching. And you can easily see real you in the mirror.

---------- Post added 18th Jan 2012 at 09:30 PM ----------

Flash is usually the biggest offender, yes, - in reality light almost never falls straight-on like that. There are tricks pro photographers use to diminish the effect, like aiming flash at the ceiling, or using external flashes, but with P&S cameras the only real way I found is to just forget the stupid thing exists and crank up the sensitivity, try and hold camera REALLY STEADY and hope for the best.

You essentially just ripped the thoughts from my head and fashioned them into an eloquent, beautiful explanation of sheer excellence. :P
That's pretty much what I'd been thinking.

[Hexagon]

Dont ask me - I stay away from both

[kylegf2011]

A camera is more inacurate IMO cause it captures only a second, so your face might have moved in a way no person could see if you were moving cause its too fast, but in the picture you can see it. Besides its a flat image, that alteres your face as well

[Hot Pink]

Neither. The real me is not an image. If you want to get to know me then talk to me.

[Z3ni]

Its difficult to tell since, photos are from different angles, mirrors can vary, the lighting can make a big difference.

[Rooni321]

Well I'm fawking gorgeous so about 65% of my pictures are ones that I'm happy with.
The others catch me making a stupid face or looking fat. But that might be because I have a distorted image of myself anyways. Hmmm.
I like both lol

[EvangelinesLost]

Ahahah I hardly ever look rockin' but i look waay better in the mirror!! Photos my makeups off and i look weird and my smiles creepy