Why does my face look MUCH better in the mirror than in selfies or ID photos?

[Jingthing]

54 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

In short, a photo objectifies, a mirror subjectifies.

Pat answer but looking at a photo is subjective too. Same eyes, same brain as looking in a mirror.

[Kinok Farang]

Photos don't lie.Face up to it you're just an ugly buggar the same as 90% of the population.You sound rather vain so this will bring you back to earth.

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, Kinok Farang said:

Photos don't lie.Face up to it you're just an ugly buggar the same as 90% of the population.You sound rather vain so this will bring you back to earth.

I'm OK with that if it was true. So photos don't lie but mirrors are always lying? Not buying it.

[Kinok Farang]

7 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I only look in the mirror when I am shaving.

Try growing a beard.You won't have to look at yourself ever,then you can imagine you are handsome just like Jingthingy.

[Harrisfan]

2 minutes ago, Kinok Farang said:

Try growing a beard.You won't have to look at yourself ever,then you can imagine you are handsome just like Jingthingy.

Save money too

[Alexjkr]

I can't speak for ID photos but mobile phone cameras are wide angle and distort the face. I hate the way I look in mobile phone photos, I prefer taking with a proper camera. I remember from my 35mm days and learning photography, even the standard lens on a 35mm camera was too wide angle for portrait photos. A slightly telephoto lens around 80mm focal length was best.

[mfd101]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

1 hour ago, mfd101 said:

In short, a photo objectifies, a mirror subjectifies.

Pat answer but looking at a photo is subjective too. Same eyes, same brain as looking in a mirror.

No, not the same eyes & not the same brain at all. The psychology of the two is quite different.

 

The photo is still & frozen (at least in a pre-AI world). You have no control over it. It is at least potentially 'public' and it can be used against you.

 

The mirror gives you control or the illusion of it. You can move & adjust to your heart's content. You can show off, adorn or hide whatever bits you like. And it is private, just between you and mirror mirror on the wall. It is 'yours'.

[CG1 Blue]

11 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I just searched for this and found this is very common!

Are you have the same experience?

I'm not talking about a minor difference.

Looking at my face in the mirror, I'd want to smash me.

Looking at my face in selfies, etc. and I feel truly horrified and just want to look away.

I have no idea which is closer to the truth.

It makes a difference how we approach the world as to how we FEEL like we look like.

Well, I don't know which version to believe.

I'm not talking only about age per se, but I have had people tell me I look 25 younger (not talk about "sexy man" talking bar workers).

It's more like in the mirror still cute, in photos ugly city.

Speaking of age, I recall similar feelings of photographing badly when I was a young man, but not as dramatic a difference.

I'm with you there, it's been the same since I was a kid! 

Once I was out with a Thai lady and her friends. I'd had a major crush on for a long time. We were getting on great and I had high hopes. 

 

Later that evening she said let's all have a selfie. I warned her I don't look good in photos and she told me not to be silly, and went ahead and took it. 

She looked at the picture and let out a kind of disappointed 'hmmm'. Then her bestie looked and made the same noise. 

 

I didn't get much further with that one. I figured she'd rather date someone more photogenic / instagram friendly 🤷‍♂️😆

[Mario Cosmopolite]

11 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

those soccer shirts go good I reckon... even moreso if they go some dirt between their toes still.

If it's a Mo Salah shirt I reckon I could manage a dribble.

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, Kinok Farang said:

Try growing a beard.You won't have to look at yourself ever,then you can imagine you are handsome just like Jingthingy.

I have a naval-style beard, which enables me to shave every second or third day.

[Cameroni]

1 hour ago, CG1 Blue said:

I'm with you there, it's been the same since I was a kid! 

Once I was out with a Thai lady and her friends. I'd had a major crush on for a long time. We were getting on great and I had high hopes. 

 

Later that evening she said let's all have a selfie. I warned her I don't look good in photos and she told me not to be silly, and went ahead and took it. 

She looked at the picture and let out a kind of disappointed 'hmmm'. Then her bestie looked and made the same noise. 

 

I didn't get much further with that one. I figured she'd rather date someone more photogenic / instagram friendly 🤷‍♂️😆

 

You didn't get much further because you showed her you lacked confidence. Where do you get off telling her "Umm, ah, i don't look good in photos". That's not a man with confidence! That's an insecure everyman no woman wants. 

 

Look in the mirror!  You screwed that up, boy! 

 

Always fake confidence. You should have said "You know, I normally charge 10000 Baht on my photo shoots". She laughs, you grab her and kiss her. Bestie thinks "Mmm, when I get farang like that?"

[CG1 Blue]

2 hours ago, Cameroni said:

 

You didn't get much further because you showed her you lacked confidence. Where do you get off telling her "Umm, ah, i don't look good in photos". That's not a man with confidence! That's an insecure everyman no woman wants. 

 

Look in the mirror!  You screwed that up, boy! 

 

Always fake confidence. You should have said "You know, I normally charge 10000 Baht on my photo shoots". She laughs, you grab her and kiss her. Bestie thinks "Mmm, when I get farang like that?"

*CG1 Blue takes notes then heads back down to the bar....

[Cameroni]

18 minutes ago, CG1 Blue said:

*CG1 Blue takes notes then heads back down to the bar....

 

Good idea. Best place to meet laydeez...

[Surasak]

On 4/11/2025 at 8:45 AM, Jingthing said:

I just searched for this and found this is very common!

Are you have the same experience?

I'm not talking about a minor difference.

Looking at my face in the mirror, I'd want to smash me.

Looking at my face in selfies, etc. and I feel truly horrified and just want to look away.

I have no idea which is closer to the truth.

It makes a difference how we approach the world as to how we FEEL like we look like.

Well, I don't know which version to believe.

I'm not talking only about age per se, but I have had people tell me I look 25 younger (not talk about "sexy man" talking bar workers).

It's more like in the mirror still cute, in photos ugly city.

Speaking of age, I recall similar feelings of photographing badly when I was a young man, but not as dramatic a difference.

They don't make mirrors like they used to, and I've noticed its up hill to the bus stop now. I met a friend I hadn't seen in years, and didn't he look old!

[Surasak]

23 hours ago, StreetCowboy said:

Being able to touch your toes always makes you look younger

No wonder my toes are so far away!

[keysersoze276]

On 4/11/2025 at 9:27 AM, Mitker said:

I think it is due to the proximity of the 'capturing device' (and the light conditions) and the distortion it creates

The shorter the distance, the worse the distortion of the image
Typically, a selfie will be an arm length away
A mirror will usually be quite further and the 'image' will do a return trip from your face back to your eyes, so double this distance : your appearance will be much closer to the reality
(plus, typically, mirrors are placed in an environment with favorable lighting)

my 50 cents


 

It’s my two cents. Not 50 cent. Too much rap got you confused?