Picture vs Mirror!

[Teresa]

Cindy,
In the days of using film we didn't shoot hundreds to get one good one, I'm not sure where you get the comment from about adding ten pounds , I often had to work out how to lose weight off people .
I'm seeing more comments on the forum like this, it saddens me because photography appears to be going backwards, good professional photographers are becoming scarcer, portraits weren't snapshots , they were taken with care and intelligent use of lighting and the right equipment ! The smartphone selfie has killed most of it and with it the art of portraying people !

[docrobbysherry]

Just the opposite for me, Joanne. All my pics look fantastic. Many here think I can go out and pass anywhere, any time.

But, my mirror doesn't lie. Up close, in real life, I look a man in a dress, period!

[lingerieLiz]

This has been discussed before. The actual answer is the brain's view. The brain does fool you. As you grow up you see your image in reverse and the brain becomes used to it. When you suddenly see your picture it is reversed from what your brain is used to. It tries to adjust but your brain doesn't like the image. This is a common occurrence for people that are not in front of a camera a great bit. There have been studies about this, you can search Google for them.

[Wen4cd]

This has been discussed before. The actual answer is the brain's view. The brain does fool you. As you grow up you see your image in reverse and the brain becomes used to it. When you suddenly see your picture it is reversed from what your brain is used to. It tries to adjust but your brain doesn't like the image. This is a common occurrence for people that are not in front of a camera a great bit. There have been studies about this, you can search Google for them.

I think this is partly it, but not the bit about the reverse image. I can take a bad photo of my self and h-flip it in any editor and it will still be a lousy photo

I think the mirror and the brain work together to create a different whole kind of magic. Your brain and eyes can focus on aspects that are nice, and perceptibly reject others. Your reflected image is interactive moving, posing, winking, etc. , and can create all sorts of deeply coded social cues on the fly that you the eye of the beholder are there to witness and react to on the fly as well.

A whole lot of stuff happens in our many hours in front of mirrors that doesn't translate well to a flash of light that is 1/100th of s second long in time, regardless of left-right flipping.

There's that old Pink Floyd song about the Crossdresser "Arnold Layne" that has the nice lyric:

"On the wall,
hung a tall,
mirror.
Distorted view,
seen through baby blues.
He dug it!"

I had to laugh the first time I heard it about how true it was.

That all said, photo protraiture is still a valid and deeply rich field as its own artform, and probably one the CD ought study because it's rewarding, but as many of us have tried and discovered, the camera is not a very efficient way to instantly lock in the feelings you get from an image in the looking glass. That mermaid is a bit of a nymph when it comes to eluding capture.

[Teresa]

Liz and Wen,
Seeing a reversed image isn't that much of a problem, lets face it people see it all the time now on selfies !

A comment was made recently about the face not being symmetrical , I always turned my subjects and altered the lighting to photograph both sides of the face, there was always one set that stood out, I think that had more to do with customers being satisfied with my work , rather than viewing a reversed image.

[AnnaMarie]

Cindy,
In the days of using film we didn't shoot hundreds to get one good one, I'm not sure where you get the comment from about adding ten pounds , I often had to work out how to lose weight off people .
I'm seeing more comments on the forum like this, it saddens me because photography appears to be going backwards, good professional photographers are becoming scarcer, portraits weren't snapshots , they were taken with care and intelligent use of lighting and the right equipment ! The smartphone selfie has killed most of it and with it the art of portraying people !

I couldn't agree more.

[Krisi]

A good photographer shouldn't have to shoot hundreds of photos to get a good one, but someone taking photos of him/herself might. That timer will trigger the photo no matter if we are smiling, frowning or sneezing.

[natcrys]

A good photographer shouldn't have to shoot hundreds of photos to get a good one, but someone taking photos of him/herself might. That timer will trigger the photo no matter if we are smiling, frowning or sneezing.

Have you seen actual fashion photo-shoot sessions? They take 100+ shots of one outfit at one location... and we are talking about professional photographers with expensive equipment and professional models who model the outfits.

Sure, they should be able to get good results if they (for some reason) only had 10 available shots, but still.. even they know how hard it is to get that handful of really good shots.

[AnnaMarie]

Have you seen actual fashion photo-shoot sessions? They take 100+ shots of one outfit at one location... and we are talking about professional photographers with expensive equipment and professional models who model the outfits.

Sure, they should be able to get good results if they (for some reason) only had 10 available shots, but still.. even they know how hard it is to get that handful of really good shots.

This is true but if they have an experienced model they will make small body, arm, leg, facial changes between each shutter click. The constants are generally the lighting which will be more often that not controlled artificial light and light modifiers to produce the required result.

[Robin414]

I have like two photos of me as a guy...and about a hundred of me as a chic...does that mean I have the ol' gender dysphoria going on? 😂

I think so 😢

[Samantha_Smile]

With pictures, there are a few things to consider before you even hit the shutter button.
1- Lighting. Daylight is usually preferable. If you can get outside, or to an area of your house that gets a lot of sun through the windows (eg conservatory) you should do okay.
If you can't get daylight, try replacing your house's light bulbs with pure white LED (not warm white), I find this is the closest thing to sunlight in a domestic setting.
2- Angle. Having the camera above head height is considered by many to be the most flattering (there is a reason girls take their selfies from overhead).
Try not to point the camera up towards you. Trust me, they don't come out well.
3- You. I pay special attention to beard cover for the sake of pictures, this just means learning how to use what you have to its best.
Also consider you body position, how you pose and old yourself (ie standing at around 45 degrees to the camera as opposed to square on will help to narrow your shoulders and waist while emphasising your bum and boobs)

Follow people on flickr, pay attention to how they set up their shots as a guide.

[Joanne108]

Thanks! When I get the chance I will try to take better photos!

[mersades]

Pictures after a makeover!!

[sometimes_miss]

The opposite effect; I couldn't pass on my best day. However.......I have put the camera at one end of the house and used the timer to take a picture of me at the other end, essentially putting distance into the equation; the further away I am, the better (and more 'female') I look. In one very memorable picture I could have passed for a girl in a black and gold cheerleading uniform. I kept that picture for a very long time, but unfortunately it is unmistakably my house, so anyone who knows me would instantly know who's in the picture (there's no disguising my height). So the picture currently remains in my memory alone, but it is how I prefer to see myself.

[Kate Simmons]

I dunno, I think that sometimes we are our own worst critics. I've felt I looked terrible but then going out folks told me I looked great.

[CarlaWestin]

Pictures after a makeover!!

That's not always a guarantee for great images. After my recent makeover, the first one, I thought it looked more theatrical than natural. I should have gotten more picture in different outfits and settings but I didn't. The best shot happened as a selfie in the car on the way home. And, my all time favorite, the profile shot, is a still from a video capture. Great morning light at the perfect angle. It all worked except, I had forgotten the cute apron that compliments the maid's dress.

now.JPGcarla vanityfair.jpg

[Judy-Somthing]

The thing I've found is to get a good picture is,

Most of all you have to be happy when taking the photo, A genuine smile even subtle smile makes a big different.

Lighting is very important , sunlight is the best.

Digital cameras have amplifiers in them to make up for low lighting and the more they need to amplify the more noise is added to the photo.
The noise make the photo very grainy and you know how that looks on your face.

Have fun and don't forget to encrypt your files.

[Stephanie47]

I realized a long time ago the mind's eye sees what it wants to see. I've made that observation even in male mode. If passing is of great concern to you, I recommend taking some pictures of yourself at varying distances. My male mode pictures actually encouraged me to drop twenty pounds.

[Helena J]

I know what you mean same thing happens to me look amazing to myself in mirror but the photo looks horrible to me its probably to do with lighting and angles or maybe i should get a better camera instead of my phone

[sometimes_miss]

Lighting can make all the difference. I immediately though of this Seinfeld 'two face' episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zlh_SHWemHs

[Jacqueline Vivaldi]

Having taken video and photos of myself for 40 years, I conclude that:
1. A genuine smile is extremely important.
2. Lighting is also extremely important. Direct sunlight is horrible. I find that the best lighting and angle is straight on looking into the natural lighting in my home on a darkish overcast day. Also if the video or pictures are a bit too dark, use a light set directly behind the camera at least 15 feet from the subject.
I then do a couple of test photos and quickly look at them on my computer. If too harsh or dark, I adjust the lighting or direction and experiment until everything looks glamorous.
3. It is curious to me, but quite often, when I capture a photo from a video, the resultant photos nearly always look exceptional.

I would really appreciate it if one of the professional photographers on the site would lay down some detailed rules for taking photos and videos indoors including, type of natural lighting, best type of photo lights, direction of any indirect light, height of tripod relative to subject, and other important advice.

[NicoleScott]

"The camera adds ten pounds..."

I know. It took me a couple bowls of Rocky Road to get through the owner's manual.

[Alice_2014_B]

We are definitely our own worst critics.
Lighting, angles, and all, amazing how much they work together.