What is the most accurate way to view what you really look like?
Asked by
Jabe73 (
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October 1st, 2010
Yes this is a strange question but it’s something that I’ve always wondered. I hate getting my picture taken becuase I am not fond of how I look in my pictures. When I look in a nice clean mirror I always wish my pictures would turn out the way I view myself in the mirror.
I guess what I’m really asking here is what is the most accurate, detailed way you can really observe yourself the way other people would view you? Is it on a high quality digital camera, video, old analog camera picture or a reflective surface like a mirror? After all we have no other ways (I know of) to actually view ourselves what we really look like. I’ve put this in “social” but I was hoping for at one serious answer. I’ve always wondered this.
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14 Answers
I feel like I look better in pictures than I do in real life. I look at myself in the mirror and think ugh, there’s not enough make up in the world to fix this face. So who’s view would be accurate? Is there ever an accurate view?
@chyna I always wished my pictures turned out the same way I view myself in the mirror. I don’t know this is hard to explain.
Video would be the most accurate way I think.
With a camera,it only captures that one moment.Maybe you have great lighting in your bathroom?
@lucillelucillelucille I’ve had great lighting when my pictures were taken as well and they still suck. Maybe this is wishful thinking but I’m betting on the mirror being the most accurate since it is a direct reflection. I havn’t seen myself on video in quite a while so I can’t tell on that one.
I’m thinking I need to be invited to your bathroom to see you in the mirror to make an accurate assessment. :-)
If you want to know what you are all about…audio says it all. Record your voice and you will know all you need to know about yourself.
@Jabe- I will have to go with chyna to your bathroom to check this too XD
@Jabe73 I know what you mean! I feel cute when I look in the mirror, but in like 99% of pictures I look terrible. What’s the deal?
When you see yourself in the mirror your image is reversed (mirror image, literally). When you see a photograph it’s the other way round compared to the mirror image. Because nobody is truly symmetrical, it looks wrong. And it’s the mirror reflection that’s wrong, compared to what everyone else sees, it’s the other way round and the photo is right.
A photograph or video might not have the same field of view as your eyes though, resulting in a distorted image.
I think photo…somehow. I’m not sure what’s the difference between a mirror and a photo, but i often look better in the mirror too than when i see myself in a photo. It’s weird. Video would probably also work well because it’ll show you what you look like when you do certain things, which a photo may not pick up. I think a photo is somehow more objective than looking at yourself in a mirror.
@downtide I looked this topic up and found I wasn’t the only one to ask this question. You make a good point and several others agreed with what you said. However I put this to the test and I still think a good clean mirror with decent lighting in the backround is the most accurate way to view yourself, even over a camera or video and I will tell you why I came to this conclusion.
Even though you are viewing yourself backwards in the mirror the mirror still is very accurate because it matches the exact color tone of your skin/facial features and shows any imperfections way more accurately (even though you are viewing yourself from an angle that the camera or others do not see you in). Me and my sister took a brief test here on this, by looking at her picture compared to me looking at her standing in the mirror the mirror was clearly more accurate. She agreed to the same thing with my image as well. You can actually test this on yourself without no one around. Just take a picture of an uncovered body part you can see yourself (like your hand) and take a picture of it, then look at your hand in the mirror. The mirror clearly shows the most accurate image.
As I have heard several professional photographers say, the mirror doesn’t lie. The mirror wins here.
I have that feeling! When I take my own photos, I look beautiful as well same in the mirror! Even I have 2 mirrors since we all see ourselves reversed, so I re-reverse myself with the other mirror facing towards the mirror and that is what I see my face and what everybody sees in real life! when reversed your face in not the mirror view as your left face in front of the mirror is on the right! So I can re-reverse it with the other mirror facing towards my mirror and show my face to make it accurate!
So I always do that when I am looking at myself of how everybody sees me! When other people take my photo, I look all disgusting looking compared the way I take my own photo, even I use a flash and natural lighting! I guess I’m not photogenic to others, but photogenic when I take my own photos and look in the 2 mirrors facing each other to reveal my other reversed side (which is my real self). It also depends on the photographer and people taking your photos! I’m just itching to know why can’t I look good in others taking photos just as I did look good when I take my own photos and look the same photogenic in the re-reversed mirror (which I have 2, I can see the back of my head and turn it face towards the mirror and that’s how everybody sees me, not the reversed kind when looking without using another mirror towards your mirror!) I do my own photography and I don’t photoshop my face, except if there is one zit or spot on the face just to dot it out with the cover up!
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