I am unphotogenic and so I've had to learn my angles- practiced in front of mirrors many times.

I think selfies are probably the most accurate photos a person can take, because you can angle your face exactly how you want and control the light and everything.

So basically, a selfie will be someone at absolute peak facial attractiveness (give theyre not pulling a face or anything). Even though most people are going to look attractive anyway in a selfie, you can still get a good look at facial features and so long as the lighting is good their features wont be all that distorted by bad lighting or angles.

Basically someone who's not all that cute is still going to look pretty in a selfie. But someone who is truly beautiful is going to look it in a selfie.

At least, that's my theory....

It depends how you define beauty. In real life, facial mobility and expressions contribute to your perception of their beauty. In photographs, that doesn't come across. Everyone can look horrid in a photo - double chin, big nose, bitchy resting face, etc. You really have to figure out how to pose and how to pretend to look natural for a photograph. Practice in front of a mirror. Models learn how to do this.

Anonymous wrote:We all tell ourselves that oh, we're much more attractive than our photographs.

But then there are people who photograph stunningly but are also really good looking in real life.

So...a picture doesn't really lie.

Not at all. The most beautiful people I know don't photograph well. It also happens they don't have a hair, makeup, lighting and assistant team - otherwise they would certainly be models.

i think it's interesting to see how this pans out with kids.
One of mine really doesn't photograph well. I think she's far prettier in person than in 90% of the photos taken of her.
Another one of my kids is gorgeous in photos but not half as striking in real life. In photos she just sparkles.
My third child comes across pretty much the same in photos and in real life.

I'm rather unattractive, and in pictures I look exactly like myself. I say "I don't like the way I look in pictures", but in reality I just don't like the way I look so I'd rather not see it in pictures or elsewhere. It doesn't really bother me, but I don't need it rubbed in my face.

To me, that's different from being unphotogenic. Unphotogenic means that you look worse in pictures than in real life.

Videos are more reflective of reality.

I don't photograph well. There are maybe 6 pictures of me that I really think look like me. But people tell me that I am very beautiful.

One of my kids is very beautiful and photogenic.

The other is like me. Takes so so pictures, but very beautiful in person.

My relative's boyfriend looked amazing in pictures. In person? Meh. Weird chin, awkward lip to nose ratio. Looked totally different in person. Like he knew his best angle or something.

Well I am very unphotogenic, and also unattractive. But I see people who photograph much better than they appear in real life. So I think the two concepts are independent.

People tell me that I photograph well, but I really think I dont. I just know my angles and stuff.

I have friends that are gorgeous in person but in pictures they look blah.

I also know people who are disgustingly ugly and dont look half bad in photos.

So being photogenic is a thing, separate from real beauty.

My MIL is ugly AND unphotogenic so her photographs are HORRIBLE. Picture an ugly woman trying to poop softballs.

I'm very attractive, and not photogenic - I freeze up and make weird faces (very unfortunate). My brother is cute, but looks model gorgeous in photos. I think you're wrong, OP.

Absolutely not!! In fact, some 'less attractive' people may actually photograph better (bone structure, relaxed on front of camera, etc.) OP, did you also post a thread recently saying you are not photogenic?

Absolutely not!! In fact, some 'less attractive' people may actually photograph better (bone structure, relaxed on front of camera, etc.) OP, did you also post a thread recently saying you are not photogenic?

We all tell ourselves that oh, we're much more attractive than our photographs.

But then there are people who photograph stunningly but are also really good looking in real life.

So...a picture doesn't really lie.