Women in the UK look in the mirror, on average, more than 70 times a day, according to a survey. And no wonder, we’ve all been there before, getting ready, making sure our hair and makeup are well-styled.
And then someone takes a photo and you look terrible in it like you are two different people! Relax, you are not the only one who feels this way. In fact, there is a scientific explanation for this.
We like to find out how our brains trick us, such as when we feel confused after looking at pictures of ourselves. So scroll down to find out why we always look better in the mirror.
6. The Mirror Is Flipping Us
What we see when we look at ourselves in a mirror is not reality: the reflection in the mirror is an inverted version of how we really see ourselves.
And since we look at ourselves in the mirror every day, we are very used to this reversed version. It’s called a mere effect.
So if you don’t see yourself very often in photos, you really don’t know what you look like, so it’s okay to be a little surprised.
5. Immediate Control
When we look in the mirror, we have total and instantaneous control. If we don’t like the angle, we react immediately by adjusting our face and correcting our posture and facial expression to form a more satisfying appearance.
When it comes to photographs, we usually see each other only after the photograph is taken. Here, posing tricks can help. It is also good to know your strong and weak sides and your best angles.
4. Lighting Matters
Our brains work in a way that we do not notice differences in lighting when we look in the mirror, because our brains automatically match and show us the image of our face close to what we are used to seeing.
A camera doesn’t work that way and instead captures all the shadows and tones objectively and plays an important role in capturing photos. As photographers say, “The light can either make it or break it!”
3. Our Faces Are Asymmetrical
Nobody has an absolutely symmetrical face. Try turning parts of your face and comparing them; they are probably very different.
We are used to looking at ourselves from one or more specific angles and many times we think that one side of the face is the same as the other.
This is why we feel like a completely different person when we see the final photo and we probably feel less attractive.
Experiment at home with lighting, angles, and poses. Set a timer and find out what works for you.
2. The Environment Puts Pressure On You
As researcher Nolan Feeney explained, we often look in the mirror when we are at home or at least in a safe environment. As for photos, it is common for them to appear more tense and tight.
We make big eyes so we don’t blink and stretch our lips into a fake smile or duck face. Since photos mostly end up on social media, we feel a lot of pressure on ourselves to have a certain appearance.
Try to feel more relaxed in front of the camera, it always looks better in the end.
1. We Only See Certain Details In The Mirror
When looking in the mirror, we tend to focus on a specific part of our face, such as lips, nose, eyes, etc., and we do not realize how everything looks together.
When looking at a photo, on the other hand, we notice everything at once and judge the entire performance – our posture, facial expression, and whatever else we normally don’t pay attention to.
On the other hand, self-exploration can help you feel more confident in front of the camera.
Do you have any tricks to look good in photos? We’d be happy to see your tips and photos in the comment section below!
