• kazerniel@lemmy.world
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    21 hours ago

    I think it’s also to do with how photogenic someone is. I’m the same as you, my photos/videos/voice always feel weird and awkward to me. The other day I came across this relatable story:

    My mother is gorgeous. Stunning, even. She was homecoming queen in high school and has the smile of a true crime cliché (that is to say, it lights up a room). Blonde, razor-cut bangs frame her big, brown eyes – rimmed in her signature liquid liner, always – which literally twinkle when she laughs.

    There is no photographic evidence of this.

    I cannot make sense of it, but something happens to this dear, beautiful woman whenever a camera comes near. Her face contorts at the click of a shutter. A combination of the following features appears in every picture she’s ever taken: squeezed-shut lids. Crossed eye. Eyebrow askance. Elvis lip. Cowlick. I sometimes insist a particular picture isn’t as bad as she thinks; I’m lying. Her driver’s license photo? Horrendous. Her Facebook profile picture? A close-up of the family dog.

    I take comfort in this whenever I come across a less-than-flattering image of myself. Photos do not reflect reality, I think. Just look at all the terrible pictures of Mom!

    • raynethackery@lemmy.world
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      20 hours ago

      On the flip side, I used to know this man who had very flat features in person. I saw a recent picture of him at the time and it was like looking at someone else. His face had contours and depth and looked quite good. I don’t know if it was some sort of illusion created by my brain looking at a 2d picture but it was weird.