Does anyone else just look awful in photos?

[Whenismumhome]

Was out at weekend for dinner with a friend. We got a couple of photos taken together (taken by someone else) she looks amazing in them, I look bloody atrocious!

I just can’t seem to smile properly in pictures, I can’t seem to force a smile on myself for photos and it just makes me look awful, I look like something is wrong with my face because my eyes are all screwed up and my lips look weird.

Does anyone have any tips on how to smile properly for a photo? Some people are good at it but I’m clearly not!

My friend has gone and plastered the photo on Facebook so everyone can see them, I feel so self conscious!

@Zaphodsotherhead your comments really made me laugh !! 😂

I too always think I look hideous in photos..but if I don't know the photo is being taken - I look alright. What the hell is that about!!

I have - which sounds completely ridiculous- perfected a few strategies to photos being taken -

1. offer to take ALL the photo for office leaving/ birthday meeting so 2) ask to see any photos anyone has taken and quickly delete the ones I think I appear as a looming ghost.

I look like Nanny McPhee at the start of the films.

I've a friend who loves selfies, he can't understand how I look so awful, he tries to teach me tricks etc - never bloody works.

Yes me. I think I look ok in real life, but absolutely horrendous in photos. Maybe they are my true reflection though...

I look hideous in photo's too....in real life i think im ok looking but as soon as someone takes a pic i look like ive had a stroke.

In photos I look as though I've had some of my teeth knocked out in a bar room brawl. When I look in the mirror, I have a pretty decent set of gnashers. But all these gaps seem to appear from nowhere when I have my photo taken. And my nose always looks spectacularly long and bony - like a witch. And I just look generally goofy. I was so pleased when digital photography became the norm. Being able to delete the worst photos is brilliant.

My eldest DS(12) is very striking in real life (of course I'm prejudiced, but he attracts a fair bit of attention), but not one photo since he was about 8 or 9 has ever done him justice. I think maybe he isn't very relaxed having his photo taken and does this weird fake smile. DP's family all look amazing in photos. Great natural smiles. The camera loves them.

Me too - the only time that I seem to look good in photos is after a few drinks. I think that it’s due to feeling uncomfortable and not being able to do a natural smile, and then it’s a vicious circle that you expect to look bad and so can’t relax. Whereas after a few drinks, I don’t care

Yes! Hasn't always been like this though, I can look back at some photos from partying days/younger 20's and think I look good but now (26) if anyone takes a photo of me I think I look awful but I know I look fine in real life. DP is the same! He literally doesn't look the same in photos.

Deffo me! I would go so far as to say I am not bad looking in the flesh and even in videos. Still photography though, horrendous.

I was asking a photographer of my acquaintance.

Apparently a lot has to do with face type, angles and planes. A face that is regular and even with slightly plumped cheeks and lips will look youthful and symmetrical in the flesh but there won't be a lot of light and shade for the camera to pick up so it will often look flat and plain with odd expressions or imperfections enhanced. He named some very famous beauties who can photograph this way in his opinion, so it has nothing to do with looks.

with a more angular, bony face, the angles give the camera more contrast to pick up on so the face looks a lot more interesting and sculpted in pictures.

Yup me too. Hate it when dh or dc take my picture in secret, I look awful. Posing is even worse, never know whether to smile open mouthed or closed, either way I look like a grinning maniac idiot. Don’t even get me started on passport photos

I’ve read through everyone’s responses and I love them all - some made me giggle!

I think I need a few “how to pose in a photo” lessons