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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wonder why there is no camera in the world that can capture my beauty?

96 replies

WhiffofSnell · 09/12/2018 08:11

Honestly! I look shit in just about every photo taken of me!
My DSis and SiLs are no better looking than me ok my DSis is but they always look acceptable in photos. My teenage DDs are both averagely attractive (obviously I don't tell them that) but the camera loves them. Why doesn't it love, or even quite like, me?

OP posts:
ViragoKnows · 09/12/2018 08:13

You have too many dimensions for this backward plane of existence. Probably.

Solasum · 09/12/2018 08:14

Do they wear more makeup than you do? A girlfriend of mine who always looks wonderful in pictures contours subtly.

SexNotJenga · 09/12/2018 08:15

Same, OP. Same.

Thehop · 09/12/2018 08:16

I take a shit photo too, but am v average in real life. I’ve made my peace with it.

Maybe ask your daughters to show you how to use filters?

TooTrueToBeGood · 09/12/2018 08:17

In daily life you only ever see a mirror image of yourself so when you see yourself in a photo you appear strange to your own eye.

LizzieSiddal · 09/12/2018 08:17

To make you feel better, it happens to the best of us.
My very beautiful Dd has been scouted 3 times, by modelling agencies as she’s been walking around London. Twice she went to their offices and after they took photos of her, they said she wasn’t quite right for them.Shock
When she was spotted the third time she just said “Thanks but I look shit in photos”Grin

showmeshoyu · 09/12/2018 08:17

The dimensions comment in pp is actually one of the problems. You're taking a 3D person and projecting them into 2D space. Some people's facial and body structure suits that, others do not. But knowing lighting, clothing, makeup and how to work those angles is very important. A professional photographer might be able to give you some good advice on all this.

Original poster
WhiffofSnell · 09/12/2018 08:18

I wear the same amount of make-up as my DSis and SiLs. We're too old for contouring!

OP posts:
Ohyesiam · 09/12/2018 08:18

I’m funny looking, sometimes stunning sometimes shit.
My camera always chooses to portray the shit mode.

Original poster
WhiffofSnell · 09/12/2018 08:19

LizzieSiddal Grin - I love your DD's attitude!

OP posts:
LizzieSiddal · 09/12/2018 08:21

Yes me too Whiff, I think we should all embrace it.

BikeRunSki · 09/12/2018 08:21

I think people are very critical of how they perceive thr selves.i just had some pssspirt photos take. My hair was still s but err, messy, I was just in sloppy clothes and had been in Asda for 2 hours. And of course you can’t smile in passport pics. I thought I looked awful, but DD said “I love these, you look really happy”.

Reallybadidea · 09/12/2018 08:22

Yeah, I know someone who always looks much prettier in photos than real life. It's not a free thing because this has been the case for many years. It's weird.

Nanalisa60 · 09/12/2018 08:23

Some people the camera loves!! I unfortunately are not one of them!! I did not hit ever branch of the ugly tree when I fell out of it in fact I’m very attractive and always have been!! But the camera hates me always has. Many years ago (when I was 15)I had a boyfriend who work for a big fashion photography in London I went in for a Photo shot and the photographer told me that I was a stunning girl but the camera just did not like me!! I even struggled To find one of my wedding photos were I look good in!!

DeezMutts · 09/12/2018 08:23

Same here. Doesn’t help that I can’t seem to open my eyes properly once a camera is pointed at me, so I look ugly and drugged up Hmm.

TheTurnOfTheScrew · 09/12/2018 08:25

Same here. I have some sort of reverse body dysmorphia where I think I'm fair-to-middling on the attractiveness scale, yet every photo is proof that I'm actually down at the Old Crone end of things.

DeezMutts · 09/12/2018 08:26

Also my lips disappear when I smile.

Nodancingshoes · 09/12/2018 08:27

Same here 😥 I look terrible in photos. My DH however is extremely photogenic as is ds1. I don't like my smile and I think I always look awkward in photos. Sigh....

Thomlin · 09/12/2018 08:27

I think it's one of these things where you have to practice taking a good photo so that when a photo happens, you know how to pose your face.

I always shit myself when a camera comes out and look kinda awkward because I'm thinking oh god here comes another hideous photo of me. But if someone takes one and I don't know it's happening- say I am mid conversation or mid laugh I always think I look quite beautiful.

I never smiled with my teeth so I practiced taking smiley pics on Snapchat (you can't use the iphone selfie mode because it flips your photo around and makes you look mental imo). I have managed to get a few good photos with lots of practice. But the most important thing I think is to smile properly and think happy thoughts when you're getting your photo taken, dont think about how awful you look (like I usually do!) 😂

SerenDippitty · 09/12/2018 08:28

Whenever I look in the mirror I feel I look OK, but whenever I see a photo of myself I cringe.

chatwoo · 09/12/2018 08:29

@TheTurnOfTheScrew l think I have the same, was only wondering about this just recently! Grin

NotScrewingUpNow · 09/12/2018 08:29

No-one is ugly. Physical beauty is constructed by society realise that. All that should matter is that you're healthy

Adviceforhouse · 09/12/2018 08:30

Thought I was the only one!! I feel I am fairly decent looking in real life but I take the worst photos that I don’t bother anymore :( my partner and kids all look beautiful in photos tho...... I know I’m not imagining it as even my friend says I’m better in real life than photos......

JingleBellsSitDown · 09/12/2018 08:31

LOL! I know this feeling. I’m probably a 3/10 in RL but a 1/10 on every photo ever taken of me. I have two friends whom the camera loves. They both have beautiful smiles. I think that’s the key to it. I have a meh smile and am never sure which is the least bad - letting my teeth show (hello uneven teeth and triple chin) or not (hello smirk which looks a bit like I might need a poo).

It’s a curse I tell you.

SerenDippitty · 09/12/2018 08:31

I agree that some people have a quality in the flesh that the camera cannot capture.

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