# I'm not photogenic... what can I do?



## weary

I've spent most of my adult life avoiding having my picture taken, because photos of me always come out awful.  I don't know what it is... I've received more than enough compliments about my appearance to know I'm at least fairly good looking, but whenever I see a picture of myself I want to tear it up in shame.  

I've just interviewed with the owner of a gym, where I've been offered a job as a trainer.  She asked me to send her a photo of myself so she can make a little catalog of all her trainers for prospective clients.  So I just tried having a few photos of myself taken.  I took them outside, where it was partly cloudy, and did some with and without a flash.  Admittedly, I wasn't using a fancy camera or anything, just a cheap kodak digital number, but good gravy... the pictures are absolutely horrendous.  The top of my head looks flat, my ears look like they belong on an elephant, my eyes look tiny, and I look ten years older than I usually do.

I have to be the least photogenic person in the world, yet I have to somehow get a picture of myself that is a reasonable approximation of how I look in real life.  Are there any techniques that I could use to improve the quality of these pictures?  I'd really rather not go blow fifty bucks on a photo session with a professional, especially since there's a good possibility that even they couldn't take a picture of me that doesn't make the viewer feel their lunch coming back up.


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## Village Idiot

weary said:


> I've spent most of my adult life avoiding having my picture taken, because photos of me always come out awful. I don't know what it is... I've received more than enough compliments about my appearance to know I'm at least fairly good looking, but whenever I see a picture of myself I want to tear it up in shame.
> 
> I've just interviewed with the owner of a gym, where I've been offered a job as a trainer. She asked me to send her a photo of myself so she can make a little catalog of all her trainers for prospective clients. So I just tried having a few photos of myself taken. I took them outside, where it was partly cloudy, and did some with and without a flash. Admittedly, I wasn't using a fancy camera or anything, just a cheap kodak digital number, but good gravy... the pictures are absolutely horrendous. The top of my head looks flat, my ears look like they belong on an elephant, my eyes look tiny, and I look ten years older than I usually do.
> 
> I have to be the least photogenic person in the world, yet I have to somehow get a picture of myself that is a reasonable approximation of how I look in real life. Are there any techniques that I could use to improve the quality of these pictures? I'd really rather not go blow fifty bucks on a photo session with a professional, especially since there's a good possibility that even they couldn't take a picture of me that doesn't make the viewer feel their lunch coming back up.


 
Go to sears or some cheap box studio? Even better, connect with some one from the board that's not a pro but learning that will trade a modeling victim for photos and I gaurentee you'll get a good photo of yourself. We have girls show up for the strobist meets that aren't models and are just friends of people coming to shoot and they're always amazed with some of the photos they get out of the day's shooting.


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## quickshot

There are a lot of people on this forum that know the ins and outs of photo shop, gimp, anything and everything. I recomment posting some photos and letting the members work their magic. Though i'm sure your photos won't need a lot of tweaking.


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## foned

maybe you just don't find yourself attractive, perhaps the pictures arent that bad you just have a negative self image? this seems to happen a lot to people, just like when you hear your voice recorded for the first time the response is generally something like 'i really sound like that?' anyway, its not a bad idea to find someone like me that has a decent camera and is willing to practice on you, if you are near me i would be willing to meet up and see what we can do.


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## kidchill

I'd give it a whirl if you're near me...I know the feeling, I'm also super photogenically challenged....


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## kundalini

kidchill said:


> I'd give it a whirl if you're near me...I know the feeling, I'm also super photogenically challenged....


With pects like that in your avatar, I can understand why.......


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## STINKY PICTURES

I know how you feel I`m in the same boat. I hate my pictures. I needed a picture to send to a friend. All of my old ones were too old. 

I set up my tripod and had a decent background all ready for the photo shoot, nothing fancy. Then i had my 12 year old daughter sit in the chair so i could get the lighting all correct. i did test shots. then i got in front of the camera, same chair, we`re the same height so nothing had to be changed. i could be my funny, calm self in front of her and finally we got a decent shot. but it took many pictures all i did was sit and smile, and she snapped away. i set the camera for 2 second delay for camera shake. 

i felt more at ease doing it with her, a child, then i would have felt if it was with my husband. we joked and some of my smiles were natural and even almost pleasing. see i still don`t like me in pictures but i could at least pass one on and feel ok about it.

so in a nut shell give a kid a try. use your own stuff, what do you have to loose.


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## noob873

Its all in your head, when you look at the picture, you try to find all the things you dont like about yourself (without thinking about it), but when others look at it, its just like them looking at you in person, nobody will find anything wrong with them. Dont be too hard on yourself.


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## JerryPH

Personally, if you are local to me, I would love to have a portrait session with you for free... just because. 

I am sure that if you look around, you could likely find an enthusiastic amateur wanting to add to their portfolio and have a nice fun afternoon shooting pics of you that I know you would really love to have.

Without knowing you or what you look like, I *KNOW* you are photogenic... you just never had the right person behind the lens taking that picture for you. 

Good luck and congrats on getting the job!


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## Mesoam

I'm the same way, its very strange...i see a pic and think "i don't look like that" even when i look in the mirror....occasionally I'll see a snapshot that looks like me...very weird


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## Early

weary said:


> I've spent most of my adult life avoiding having my picture taken, because photos of me always come out awful.  I don't know what it is... I've received more than enough compliments about my appearance to know I'm at least fairly good looking, but whenever I see a picture of myself I want to tear it up in shame.


You're not alone.  It's a common trait for people to perceive themselves as being unattractive in photos when, in most cases, others have an opposite opinion.  Just keep trying till you get a few you can live with.  Take lots of shots, and get someone else's opinion. 

And don't worry about the flaws.  They might make you more approachable to other people.


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## keith204

Try using some high-contrast B&W shots.  I tend to like B&W shots of myself more than color ones.  My wife took the picture used in my avatar, just a quick snapshot.


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## meme42

weary said:


> I've spent most of my adult life avoiding having my picture taken, because photos of me always come out awful. I don't know what it is... I've received more than enough compliments about my appearance to know I'm at least fairly good looking, but whenever I see a picture of myself I want to tear it up in shame.
> 
> I've just interviewed with the owner of a gym, where I've been offered a job as a trainer. She asked me to send her a photo of myself so she can make a little catalog of all her trainers for prospective clients. So I just tried having a few photos of myself taken. I took them outside, where it was partly cloudy, and did some with and without a flash. Admittedly, I wasn't using a fancy camera or anything, just a cheap kodak digital number, but good gravy... the pictures are absolutely horrendous. The top of my head looks flat, my ears look like they belong on an elephant, my eyes look tiny, and I look ten years older than I usually do.
> 
> I have to be the least photogenic person in the world, yet I have to somehow get a picture of myself that is a reasonable approximation of how I look in real life. Are there any techniques that I could use to improve the quality of these pictures? I'd really rather not go blow fifty bucks on a photo session with a professional, especially since there's a good possibility that even they couldn't take a picture of me that doesn't make the viewer feel their lunch coming back up.


 

I think I have you beat! I get a lot of looks from men, and they always tell me that I am attractive, I personally think that I look ok, but when I take pics that look absolutely hideous! I don't know what it is about my face that makes my pics so horrific. I have avoided cameras all of my life because I can count on 1 hand how many pics I have taken throughout my lifetime that actually looks decent. 

To give you an idea of how bad my pics are, I met a guy at a club one night, and we exchanged numbers, I guess he was too drunk to remember what I looked like, and he wanted me to send him a pic before we went out on our first date. Well after dreading and pleading with him that I had no pics, he finally asked for me to snap one with my cell and send it to him. It was no surprise after he received it, I never heard from him again. LOL!

I tell people all the time that I do not want to take pics when we are at family gatherings our with friends, they don't believe me when I tell them that my pics are horrible until they actually take it and then they are stone silent as they are looking at it.

Lastly the ultimate blow was when I started a new job and they needed my pic for the company newsletter, the pic was so horrible that people that briefly met me did not know it was me until they read the name.

So I ask, what can I do to make myself more photohgenic or if you are not born with it, your doomed like myself.


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## ANDS!

Man how do you guys find these threads!


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## taskoni

weary said:


> I've spent most of my adult life avoiding having my picture taken, because photos of me always come out awful.  I don't know what it is... I've received more than enough compliments about my appearance to know I'm at least fairly good looking, but whenever I see a picture of myself I want to tear it up in shame.
> 
> I've just interviewed with the owner of a gym, where I've been offered a job as a trainer.  She asked me to send her a photo of myself so she can make a little catalog of all her trainers for prospective clients.  So I just tried having a few photos of myself taken.  I took them outside, where it was partly cloudy, and did some with and without a flash.  Admittedly, I wasn't using a fancy camera or anything, just a cheap kodak digital number, but good gravy... the pictures are absolutely horrendous.  The top of my head looks flat, my ears look like they belong on an elephant, my eyes look tiny, and I look ten years older than I usually do.
> 
> I have to be the least photogenic person in the world, yet I have to somehow get a picture of myself that is a reasonable approximation of how I look in real life.  Are there any techniques that I could use to improve the quality of these pictures?  I'd really rather not go blow fifty bucks on a photo session with a professional, especially since there's a good possibility that even they couldn't take a picture of me that doesn't make the viewer feel their lunch coming back up.


Photogenic or NOT, what's the difference? I guess the gym visitors are not going there to take a picture with you. You are just fine mate. Give them whatever picture you have and you'll be fine. Can not be thaaaat baaaaad 
Cheers,
b.


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## Wolverinepwnes

We are genetically designed not to like out own image!!!! or voice for that matter! don't worry about it dude! try not smiling that always helps in pictures


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## KmH

ANDS! said:


> Man how do you guys find these threads!


:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup: Why can't they find 'em when they want:

Help me pick a camera, lens, bag, tripod, flash, memory card, best kind of.....:lmao:


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