You Think You Look Better in a Mirror Than in Photos Because of Lighting and Angles

There's a good chance you know someone who claims to detest pictures of themselves, or perhaps you yourself share that opinion. However, you hardly ever hear the same individuals comment in a same manner about their reflections. You would probably prefer your reflection over a photograph taken at the same time if you could choose between the two, and there is a good reason for that.

You almost never see the version of yourself that everyone else sees because you live in your thoughts. A reverse you is the mirror you. This is the foundation of most of how you view yourself. Your mind doesn't like it when you see a snapshot of yourself, since it is set up differently than how you are used to seeing yourself. Due to the way our eyes function when we see ourselves, it will also be visible from angles that we are unable to see in a mirror. Eyes front ensure that, even when you tilt your head, you are always positioned optimally. So taking a selfie would reveal unattractive views you were unaware of.

In addition to the angles, the lighting cannot be altered the way it can in a photograph once your eyes have adjusted to the mirror image. In brief, your eyes naturally provide you with the optimal angle and illumination, but photographs capture an odd moment that we aren't used to.