I have this weird problem. When I look in the mirror, I look my size. But when someone takes a photo of me, I look much larger.
Does anyone else get this too? Which is the real one?
My body looks different to me in the mirror than in photos
Created: over 1 year ago
s
samlamlam
over 1 year
Yup, same here. Which makes me wonder even more how people see me.
Phone cameras are wide angle and distort things to look wider.
Definitely here too. It's part body dysmorphia, part angles of the camera.
The image I have of myself in my head is big, but the size I am. Even in the mirror I feel like I look fine, or at least close to how I actually perceive myself to look. Looking in the mirror is not a shock, but just like you, if I see myself in a video or photo I feel absolutely enormous. I think it's better that I feel as though I look ok vs. the other way around.
Want my advice? Take the dang photo anyways. I still take photos because I know I want those memories despite how I think I look.
It's funny, I look back at photos of when I was un my 20s and how I thought I looked gigantic. So sad how body dysmorphia works. I never rocked a bikini, thinking I was way too obese to wear one, when in reality I looked great and was super healthy and much smaller than I am now. But in my head, I felt like I looked this size. I've suffered from disordered eating my whole life and think this plays into it.
So many potential memories not captured and many potential experiences not completed because of insecurity. Now that I'm older, albeit much larger and less healthy, I think I have a better outlook on life and the value of memories vs. letting my skewed perception of myself get in the way. For the most part anyway.
phone cameras distort because of the wide angle lens, especially if you're on the edge of the photo - like in a group photo.
A photo is also a flat image whereas what you see in the mirror is 3D. I think that adds to it as well.
Unless your mirror is a freakishly slimming mirror like in hall of mirrors, which it sounds like it's not, because you feel normal in it - then that is what you look like.
Don't worry about the photos! but take them all the same.
I always think "oh, I don't look that big" when I see myself in a mirror or catch my reflection in something. But then I see a photo of myself and I look twice the size. It really sucks. 😕I've struggled with this for years!
Yep I get this too. I think it’s body dysmorphia
Think about the angle you are looking at yourself, compared to the angles people are taking photos of you at. Also, think about the poses you pull in the mirror and the way you conduct and hold your body. Next time someone takes a photo of you, ask them to hold the camera at waist height and pose yourself on a slight angle...see if you notice more of YOU in the image 💕💕💕
This isn't just a you problem. I also get this, even from my 'good angles' I am often suprised at how I look in photos. I know i've put weight on over the pandemic, so maybe I'm just used to seeing myself in the mirror but a photo is not as every day so it's a shock.
They do say the camera adds 10lbs so remember that too.
I think the mirror is the real one! Don't sweat it 😌
I have this.
So I follow a lot of body positivity blogs that help deconstruct the toxic relationship we have with our bodies based on unhealthy and unrealistic media portrayals and reconstruct it in a better way. It's good to surround yourself with positive influences.