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Do you look good in photos

(105 Posts)
Angib Fri 24-Feb-17 12:17:49

Ive never been what you might call a beauty but I thought I looked OK but when it comes to photos I just look awful, so much so that I resist wherever possible not to have my photo taken. Now I've got grandchildren I'd love to have more photos taken with them but with my turkey neck I just look even worse. Am I just being silly and vain?

Azie09 Sat 25-Feb-17 14:42:24

I've never looked anything but ogre like in photos! Some people just aren't photogenic. I hate it when family want to take photos and I hide at the back for group photos. One of my worst life moments was when I was photographed for a set of work mugshots and newsletter and the photographer came back a day later and said, ' um, can we just try taking those photos again'.

cheneslieges132 Sat 25-Feb-17 14:44:26

The weirdest thing is that I used to do a lot of photographic modelling when I was in my 20's, as I was a member of a local Photographic Group, and I was thought of as quite a "stunner" - in fact, one photo of me won 2nd place in a prestigious Competition in Tokyo - but now I look dreadful in photographs - mind you, that was over 50 years ago ...

Esspee Sat 25-Feb-17 14:53:11

I look OK in the mirror but in photos I look enormous. Can't explain that. shock

HootyMcOwlface Sat 25-Feb-17 14:55:23

My eyes are lopsided in photos and I have a horrid double chin. I look absolutely dreadful! I'm very shy and tend to blush easily so i also end up having a huge red face.
But the most galling thing is when people say, oh no you look lovely - when I say how horrible I look - What! I really look that awful in real life too?! Pass me that paper bag!

Diddy1 Sat 25-Feb-17 14:57:11

Absolutely not, I hate having photos taken, I either blink or talk on them, and look dreadful, maybe its the true me they show!

Smithy Sat 25-Feb-17 15:00:34

I look better in photos than in real life as long as they aren't close ups or profile. I usually lift my head up a bit and it lessens the scraggy neck a bit. However if I catch sight of myself in a mirror in a shop or outside I cringe.

Juggernaut Sat 25-Feb-17 15:12:14

I found a photo of myself, taken by DH in 1983....I wish I'd known I looked like that, I was gorgeous, and photographed well!
However, these days, I avoid cameras like the plague, I can still look passable in 'real life' (with my 'slap' on) but photos give me three chins, squiffy eyes, a ventriloquists dummy mouth, and a nose that casts a shadow......appealing huh?
The back of my head is an okay-ish view, but literally my head, no lower, or the fat starts to show, at least I still have a slim skull!

Lewlew Sat 25-Feb-17 15:13:38

Nice photo, cheneslieges132

When you look in the mirror, it's a reversal of your image, PLUS you are seeing yourself in 3D.

Transfer that to a photo and unless you have a symmetrical face/body, it does not look the same. Plus a 2D photo does tend to flatten perspective which 'widens' the view.

ME? I have had strabismus (lazy eye) from birth and had eye surgeries when a child. It corrected it cosmetically and until I was in my early 50s, I had to be really very tired for my right eye to 'wander' at all.

Now that I am older, and doing a lot of close computer work (even though it's a 32 screen), it is wandering again. And it shows in candid photos, so I now tend to turn my face to profile or look away from the camera. In person, people say they don't notice... I wonder if that's to spare my feelings.

It's depressing.... I don't want my DGD seeing cross-eyed granny in photos when she gets older. blush sad

Lupin Sat 25-Feb-17 15:16:29

I've always dreaded looking at photos of myself, but when I look back at those taken in my twenties and thirties I wasn't too bad and certainly not as fat as I felt. I've seen some shockers lately though. I had a new phone recently and kept taking accidental selfies while I played with it - talk about having to face up to the ageing process! I've also done the same with the camera on my laptop. Never has finger moved so fast to press escape. Oh! Vanity! I never permit anything taken sideways on.

PamQS Sat 25-Feb-17 15:27:25

My niece took a photo of me and my sister and brother's at my mum's funeral. which she posted on Facebook. I had a black cotton top on with a white bra underneath. The photo was dominated by my enormous white breasts, which were shown up by the flash! blush When her mum asked her to take it down, she said she thought it was a really good photo of us all.

Sundancer123 Sat 25-Feb-17 15:27:50

I so dislike FaceTime. Surely I can't look like this. I have 'face hang' and avoid answering when my DSD calls. I can't bear seeing myself! Vain, not me??

diddy Sat 25-Feb-17 15:37:34

I'm glad I'm not the only one I've always tried to avoid being photographed by being behind the camera !!

diddy Sat 25-Feb-17 15:37:34

I'm glad I'm not the only one I've always tried to avoid being photographed by being behind the camera !!

Morgana Sat 25-Feb-17 15:42:48

My sisters look really good on photos. I think they have perfected the right look in front of a mirror. I am Too aware of my very crooked teeth!

Daisyboots Sat 25-Feb-17 15:43:30

I am usually the obe taking the ohotos so nit many of me around unkess I have attended a wedding or party that has hired a photographer. But someone 5piinted out to me a few weeks ago that my family would like more ohotos of me when I am no longer here.

Daisyboots Sat 25-Feb-17 15:44:36

Sorry posting on my phone. Fat finger syndrome and posted too soon

Elrel Sat 25-Feb-17 15:52:10

I've rarely looked good in photos though a school photographer's tip to lift the chin helps.
One photo I wish I still had was a bw snap I took in my DM's dressing table mirror when I was 17. I just thought I looked good that day and probably gave the only print to my boyfriend.
Did I invent the (mirror) selfie?

jennyvg Sat 25-Feb-17 16:09:23

I had a photo taken by my son on New Years Eve when I showed it to a close friend she asked who it was! I hate having my photo taken.

Stella14 Sat 25-Feb-17 16:32:39

Sandraanddaisy, could you tell us a little more about how you edit an older face and the differences for men and women?

Nanna58 Sat 25-Feb-17 16:50:05

I look so,bad I thought the camera must be at fault until I realised everyone else in the photos look EXACTLY as they do in real life.oh the disappointment!

auntybee Sat 25-Feb-17 17:10:23

So pleased with the comments so far - thought it was only me who ran away from the camera (why spoil beautiful pics of other people by including me......?). I'm afraid it's an understood thing in our family. I just love to see pics of everyone else, but including me is a definite NO NO!!!

pollyperkins Sat 25-Feb-17 17:14:32

Yes me too- i look appalling on most photos, in mirrors and esp on things like skpe face time and selfies

PenJK50 Sat 25-Feb-17 17:23:47

Apparently a double chin appears as soon as someone decides to take a photo! Hate most photos of myself.

Stansgran Sat 25-Feb-17 17:34:48

For tha last ten years or so every photo taken of me I'm wearing the same top. I don't know how it happens but it looks as though I never change.

Marieeliz Sat 25-Feb-17 17:55:23

I look awful on photos. My Mum had a friend who looked nothing in real life but she always looked good on photographs. They say the camera doesn't lie?