Do you look good in photos

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!

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

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 ...

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'.

Me too. But then I look at other people's photos and realise we are all different and most can look "odd" in their own way. Have you looked at some of the "celebrities" who have had cosmetic surgery? If they spend £1000s and think that makes them look good, we are probably safe for any and all photos!

I have always been camera shy. Even on my teens I looked like a gringer. I am adept at hiding behind people or things and tilting my hat just in time so no one can see my face. There are a few photos though were I had to have my photo taken i.e. Daughters wedding and granddaughters christening but hate looking at them.

Therefore I can sympathise with you wholeheartedly.

I'm a professional photographer and can say that some folk are photogenic and some aren't, I only know when I look through the viewfinder. You can be stunningly beautiful in real life but in a photograph? No.....and vice versa.
When I take photos of older faces, I use less harsh lighting and I edit in a slightly different way to how I would edit a younger face and again differently for a man to a woman.
It's well worth paying what is actually not a great deal of money to have photographs of you with the people you love, after all, it gives them something to remember you by when you are no longer here.

I avoid the camera as much as possible I spotted one of myself and my brother and sister at her 70th we were squashed on a tiny sofa I was in the middle and although we are all laughing and look really happy I looked about 20stone and horrendous and she has this in a frame pride of place in her lounge?

NO!!!!!!!!

Photoshop and airbrushing! Or, your family loved you and they will love you being in their photos so don't worry about it. xx

No, I don't think I look good in photos either and I usually prefer to be behind the camera.

However, I do family history research and I was in touch with a distant relative on a forum. I was able to give her a photograph of her great grandmother. She was delighted as she didn't have any. There weren't many photos taken in those days but her GGM didn't like to see herself in photos so had either ripped them up or cut herself out.

Someone might be very glad to see your photos one day even if you don't like them.

Am told I still look good (for my age) even by brutal daughters.But a good photo of me is rare indeed.Good job I'm the family photographer really .

I also hate being told to smile for the camera and the more successful photos of me have been taken when I was unaware of it. I wanted a photo of myself with all the DGC and it took lots of attempts before I allowed my DD to print it. An old lady seemed to keep getting in the picture who was overweight and had wrinkles ?

No, I have a really fat neck now which shows whatever angle I'm at.

I think the selfie culture is really difficult to deal with, you used to be able to pose for a picture, but now people expect you to be able to take a good picture any time.

When I was out with a couple of friends, I offered to take a selfie of us for Facebook, and the friend next to be suddenly twisted herself into a different position and looked up at the camera like Princess Di used to. I was so shocked I commented on it and asked her if she'd been taking selfie lessons!

Apparently you're meant to suck in your cheeks and pout as well, I can't get the hang of that either.

I've never liked my photo being taken even when I was a very tall, slim teen - I just look horrible in photos. Best ones of me are when I didn't know some-one was lurking with a camera. My DD looks good in photos

I do not seem to know how to smile for the camera and feel as though my strange grimace has spoilt the picture of everyone else but it does look slightly better if I am caught unawares!

My facial features are very symmetrical but I still look BAD in photos! Face looks bigger, hair looks flatter and thinner...doesn't look a bit the same as my reflection in the mirror. Slowly coming to terms with it!

No - I hate most photos of me too, especially those taken when I'm not looking/usually from the side and frowning! When young and slim I used to be self conscious about my skinny arms in photos; now it's the opposite. Logically, there must have been a time when they were just right - but I don't remember it!

My daughter has taken some horrible photos of me and I hope I've persuaded her to stop it by yelling, "*For heaven's sake please stop it!*" I'm not a particularly well groomed person and having crawled in and out of my grandson's little tent several times or played at being covered with a blanket and shushed to sleep, I am just not ready to be photographed! Of course, she wants photos of the two of us together but she could pass me a hairbrush beforehand!

We are all overly self critical especially as we get older ! But your grandkids won't see your double chins etc when they look at your photo, they will just see a loving Nanny who they adore. My granddaughters constantly tell me how amazing I look and won't hear a word of my criticism, after all, love is blind !

...should read 'or you don't'

I've come to the conclusion that you need to be further away from the camera as you age-so no close ups for me!

I remember Lord Lichfield in an interview some years ago discussing what makes a good portrait photograph and why some people seem always to look good whilst others...erm, don't (that'll be me then). The answer is something none of us can do anything about - facial symmetry. You either have it you don't. I worked with someone once who looked amazing in photos and yet ok but nothing special irl. Princess Di was similarly a case in point.

Ha, I thought it was just me! I have been horrified to see my photos on Facebook and insisted they were removed IMMEDIATELY. I hate to see my photo. The only good thing is, I don't have to look at me, everyone else does, poor devils. (Unless I look in a mirror, that is!)

This made me smile, I absolutely hate having my photo taken and the other day my dentist, who is doing some work on my front teeth, asked if I had a photo of me so that they can get it exactly right and natural - no chance ?