Do you see yourself differently in the mirror and in pictures?

I've been losing weight and rediscovering my self-esteem. But I find that there is a HUGE discrepancy between how I see myself in the mirror (That girl is actually kinda pretty...looks good in that outfit...pretty eyes, nice lips...) and how I see myself in pictures (OMG that chick is FAT! )

Is it just me? Anyone else have this "issue"? Which person (the one in the mirror or the one in pictures) is closer to reality?

valanhb said:

I've been losing weight and rediscovering my self-esteem. But I find that there is a HUGE discrepancy between how I see myself in the mirror (That girl is actually kinda pretty...looks good in that outfit...pretty eyes, nice lips...) and how I see myself in pictures (OMG that chick is FAT!

)
Is it just me?

Anyone else have this "issue"? Which person (the one in the mirror or the one in pictures) is closer to reality?

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OMG that is just me,I always think that I look ok then when I see a pic of myself I think who is that  x

YES!!! I don't have weight problems but I'm always concerned about how I look in pictures. I feel like it's completely different (usually way worse) than how I look in real life.

Probably it's the difference in setting between my bathroom and wherever pictures are taken. I also have a difficult time making a good fake "smile for the camera" face that doesn't make me look weird. :lol3:

there are a few things you can do to make yourself look better in pictures anyways. NEVER face a picture straight ahead, instead stand at a slight angle with one foot forward. Ever notice how all the pictures of celebs and pageant girls they are standing with one leg in front of the other with the knee bent?

Its a pretty good trick and that is the only way I take pics now. You can make it look rather natural too.

Another big one is never look down at a camera (yes that is hard for candid shots but it can be done.) not flattering.

I am the same way. I feel I look OK in a mirror.. but photos.. EW. iI hate letting people take photos of me. I always look fat and tired!

Yep!  A couple weeks ago I had DH take a few pictures of me for an updated belly shot.  I wanted to gag!  I ended up going into the bathroom and taking one in the mirror!  The camera and flash covered my double chin (thanks Gram) that I've alwasy been prone to in pics (thin or not!). 

I find I look better in person that in pics yes.

I'm heavy/fat. I see myself heavy/fat in life, in pictures and in the mirror.  I also know that I used to be very pretty when I was thinner, and see a shadow of that person still when I look in the mirror.

I too am on a weight loss journey.  I'm having some success!!  I hope you are too

I think I look better in pictures than in the mirror. 

I can definitely see the difference. I much prefer my "person" in the mirror, although in the right angle in the right lighting I see pictures of myself and think wooo that girl looks gooood  . But overall I prefer myself in the mirror. Sometimes I don't even recognize myself in pictures and think to myself wow why did I go out looking like THAT?! 

I have horrible self image issues. About 6 years ago, I had gastric bypass and went from 300 lbs to 135. I could still only see the 300 lb girl. I've put on a little more weight in the past year and while my DH thinks I look good, I feel just like I did at 300 lbs. I'm currently working to drop some weight. Here's the thing, I never take pictures. I cringe when I see my wrinkles, my hips are ridiculous and don't get me started on my tree stumps otherwise known as legs. It's ridiculous. 

I am constantly telling my cats I wish I was as pretty as they are. It doesn't matter what I look at myself with. A cameras eye or my own.

valanhb said:

I've been losing weight and rediscovering my self-esteem. But I find that there is a HUGE discrepancy between how I see myself in the mirror (That girl is actually kinda pretty...looks good in that outfit...pretty eyes, nice lips...) and how I see myself in pictures (OMG that chick is FAT!

)
Is it just me?

Anyone else have this "issue"? Which person (the one in the mirror or the one in pictures) is closer to reality?

Click to expand...

I used to hate being photographed.  I always hated how I looked in pictures.  I didn't look like me in the mirror.  I would get depressed seeing pictures of myself.  I would even forbid friends to "tag" me in them.  As a photographer in a fun photo souvenir place, I found out that it really matters how you pose, the angle,  and the camera catches how tense you are.  So I started taking pictures of myself.  I learned to relax in front of the camera and take flattering pictures.  It's not supermodel, but it looks like me... the me staring back at me in the mirror.  You just have to learn to let loose and be yourself, let the camera catch your personality and not your tenseness. No matter what your size, have fun and be you in pictures.  Learn to pose in ways that show off all your weight loss success.  There are poses that make everyone look good. 

I'm convinced that my face needs to be viewed in motion. I almost never like how I look in pictures, but I do like mirrors and I think it's because that image is never still and it never feels as permanent I guess? A picture is freezing how you looked in that one second forever, and it's usually the one second I was blinking, or looking to one side, or I had only just started smiling so I have a goofy half smile or something along those lines.

I look horrible in pictures.. Not too good on the mirror either, but a bit better IMO. Specially my nose somehow looks huge in the pics but in reality it's not. The shape of it seems to be a bit problematic and it reflects light in an annoying way making it look huge. And don't get me started on the double chin... 

Some people say there's no conceit in my family.....I have it all. The following statement is evidence of that.

I think I'm hot whether it be in a picture or a mirror! :lol3:

I really do - I'm me, I'm one in a million. That makes me gorgeous no matter what.

white cat lover said:

Some people say there's no conceit in my family.....I have it all. The following statement is evidence of that.
I think I'm hot whether it be in a picture or a mirror! :lol3:
I really do - I'm me, I'm one in a million. That makes me gorgeous no matter what.

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Way to go Nat! But yep you are girl! :bigthumb:

Well, the last time I looked in the mirror I saw Mad Madam Mim (Disney's The Sword in the Stone).

I am extremely camera shy, and know of only one pic in years that dh snapped with his camera phone. He likes it, but I hate it. My daughterr wants me to have a professional portrait by myself and with her and the granddaughters. The thought of it makes me queasy. I did a little modelling when I was much younger,and was even on an auto parts calender in 1977. I was standing in the river, wearing shorts and a denim shirt tied up. I look so far removed from that now, even in my head I know I was 19 at the time, and am 53 now.

I look in the mirror to make sure my teeth are clean and my hair is brushed. Sometimes I check to see how much my hair has grown, it is a little past waist length. Other than that, I don't really think about it.