Is it normal that i look different to what i see in the mirror

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6 Comments

I have found recently that my mirror image and what shows up in photos don't quite mesh. I'll try a certain look (like wear my hair a particular way or try something new with my make-up) and check it in the mirror, and according to my eyes it will look pretty hot. But then when I take a selfie or photo of it, for some weird reason, it looks slightly different and not as cute in the photograph! It's really odd and it's freaking me out because it's making me rethink all the times I'd used my reflection as confirmation that I looked cute before stepping out in the world...only to discover I was wrong. Do I see myself differently to what I actually look like and if so is this type of "biased vision" normal when looking at oneself?

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91% Normal
Based on 34 votes (31 yes)
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Comments ( 6 )
  • kingofcarrotflowers
    8 years ago

    Ooooohhhh I love this subject I've written about it before here,

    The you you see in the mirror isn't the actual you, the image Is reversed, because you see that face every time you look in the mirror it's what you are used to but everyone else sees the non reversed image of your face, that's why you can look in the mirror and look good then see a photo of yourself and think you look horrible ke in it despite everyone else saying " no that's just how you look"

    Here's a video on it ( they get to it around 2 mins 30 )

    http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zRP82omMX0g

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    • kingofcarrotflowers
      8 years ago

      So apparently you don't look as bad as you think you do outside the image of a mirror, you're just not used to seeing yourself like that, whereas everyone else is, but I can't help but feel that way still, I can look in the mirror and feel pretty good about myself then snap a selfie and spend the next 5 mins surprised at how bad I look

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  • Anonymous Post Author
    8 years ago

    Wow thank u SO much! Your post was super helpful, and I found that vid really fascinating :) I really had no idea this was an actual thing, and now I don't feel so bad about my looks, I just have to adjust the way I see myself to align with the way everyone else does (reality). I was wondering tho, do you think this works the same for like actors on TV? Are we seeing their reversed image on screen because of the camera?
    So so interesting, thank you for taking the time to answer my drama haha, I really appreciate it :)

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    • kingofcarrotflowers
      8 years ago

      No worries happy to help :)

      Tbh I don't think it would because of the way a camera lens works, because it isn't made to reflect an image but instead to capture it so it captures an I image much like a camera would on your phone taking a selfie, but, I guess there is the Hollywood mirror of Photoshop haha

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  • D'lirium
    8 years ago

    Why do you spend time looking at your self when there's whole universe around you?

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  • Quintarius
    8 years ago

    i personally think it has something to do with self esteem. The image we see in the mirror is one that we are very familiar with. We see it every day, same angle same lighting etc. Somehow it is just different than when we look at a photo of ourselves. The photo is a better way to assess ourselves, photos show us in other emvironments and settings from different angles and lighting that we are not used to. So the photo is more like what everyone else sees, whereas the mirror almost becomes just a reflection of our self esteem, which can be better or worse than reality

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