I look better in mirrors than I do in photos

[Naitsirhc]

I have a slightly bent nose bridge because of a baseball that was thrown at me while I wasn't paying attention. So I guess over the years of looking at myself in the mirror, inverted, my brain must have compensated for the assymetry in my nose as the bend is less noticeable. However, in photos my nose looks far more damaged than I thought it was.

 

First, my nose bridge is bent more to the right because it was hit from the left side, so my nose bridge is not centered it is always pointing to the right. Second, my nose tip is still pointing towards the center, and this makes my nose look even worse. I mostly notice this in pictures and I can barely see the asymmetry in the mirror unless I reverse the mirror's image with a second mirror, and that's how I confirmed the way I really look. This depresses me to know that only I see a better perception of myself and has made me self conscious.

 

But then I thought of something else, I asked my bro if my nose bend was really noticeable, he told me no and that he forgot my nose was bent! It was until I started turning my head that he noticed the bend. So could it be that people's brains compensate for small assymetries? I mean if I get used to my real image in photos would the bend be less noticeable? Also how much does our brain compensate for us? and what is reality when our brains can change what we see?

[baguette]

i think that when you're looking in the mirror, your eyes are at one level. try taking pictures that are at eye level. i found that it gave me better looking and more realistic pictures. cameras have only one lens, while our eyes are two that combine to form one image with some periphery.

 

i do agree with your point in the last paragraph, plus you have to take into consideration things like lighting, camera quality, etc.

[Hearts]

I know what you are talking about, my nose also is pointing right a bit. When I look into the mirror I don't even notice it but when the image is turned horizontally or on some of my photos or on some type of light I can notice it. I also asked some close people if they can notice too and they said no.

 

I don't think it's something to be that bothered. People doesn't pay too much attention to the details so probably they won't notice too and even if they notice it doesn't matter much, no one is perfect.

 

Btw photos tend to exaggerate some features, I think the lens is causing this fish eye type effect, distorts the perspective, which makes you look on your photos not that good.