A mirror image, especially from a common flat (plane) mirror, is a virtual image, meaning the light rays don't actually converge there but appear to originate from behind the mirror, so it can't be projected onto a screen. However, some mirrors, like concave mirrors, can form real images when the object is far enough away; these images are inverted and can be projected, as seen with focusing sunlight.
The Mirror Effect
This daily reflection becomes your most comfortable image. However, it's not how others see you. Mirrors reverse our image, subtly altering our appearance. We're used to this reflection.
In terms of physics, a good quality mirror is much more accurate than a camera because it simply reflects the light that hits its surface. In a modern digital camera, the light has to go through several lenses that distort the image to achieve a certain effect like depth of field, wide/narrow angle, etc.
The mirror is a reflection.
Although we're the most comfortable and familiar with the face staring back at us while we brush our teeth in the morning, the mirror isn't really the real us. It's a reflection, so it shows how we look like in reverse.
The "Correct" Representation
However, when we see a photo, we look at a 2D representation of ourselves, which is not reversed and can look different from what we see in the mirror and we are not used to the reversed face in the photo. We don't have a symmetrical face that shows no differences when it is reversed.
Photographs are never a 100% accurate reflection of what you look like. That is not their job anyway. Photographs are witnesses of your life.
It may surprise you to learn that being photogenic has nothing to do with whether or not you're conventionally attractive or “beautiful” in real life. In fact, attractiveness and beauty are highly subjective, based on standard societal conventions as well as individual taste.
Key Takeaways. Full-length mirrors can provide an accurate reflection, but minor distortions can occur due to manufacturing flaws or optical illusions. The law of reflection ensures that the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection, allowing for an undistorted virtual image.
Yes, the idea that people see you as significantly more attractive (often cited as around 20% more) than you see yourself is a common concept in psychology, stemming from research suggesting we are overly critical of our own appearance due to familiarity and focusing on flaws, while others see a more complete picture including personality, kindness, and humor. This difference happens because you see yourself in mirrors (reversed) and photos (often unflattering angles/lighting) while others see you as you are, in real-time, noticing your overall vibe, confidence, and smile more than minor imperfections.
According to psychology, when we see ourselves in the mirror, we tend to think of ourselves as prettier, than how we actually look to others, in real life. That's the perception of the mirror, vs what you look like to others in real life.
To paraphrase Margaret Wolfe Hungerford, accuracy is in the eyes of the beholder. Mirrors reflect a more accurate picture of you as you see yourself, while cameras may show a more precise view of how others see you.
Cameras Flatten Features – Real Life Has Depth
In reality, we see faces in 3D—with depth, movement, and natural light reflections. However, a camera flattens the image into 2D, which can make features look sharper, wider, or more distorted than they actually are.
Ever wondered why your face looks different in selfies than in real life? It's all about lens distortion. Most phone front cameras use wide-angle lenses, which can stretch your features, making your nose look wider and your face rounder.
Any extra anxiety at night when you're trying to stay calm makes it nearly impossible to get the sleep you need. Feng Shui experts recommend you cover the bedroom mirrors for a couple nights and notice if your sleep improves. If you sleep soundly with them covered, consider replacing them or moving them elsewhere.
Which is more accurate, a mirror or a picture? Viewing yourself in the mirror will provide a better picture of what you look like in real-time. Pictures are not the human eye, like mentioned earlier, there are so many variables that go into photos such as angles, lighting, camera lenses etc.
Many cultures, religions, and superstitions warn against gazing in a mirror for too long at night, cautioning that it can inadvertently invite demonic spirits, allow undesirable entities to manifest themselves, or even be used as a window or portal to the underworld itself.
Excluding the 10% most and 10% least beautiful women, women's attractiveness does not change between 18 and 40. If extremes are included, however, "there's no doubt that younger [women] are more physically attractive – indeed in many ways beauty and youth are inextricable.
When considering signs you're attractive, here is what you might notice.
Prolonged Eye Contact
They might make constant eye contact or look away when you catch them, only to look back again when you glance away. Even when they do know you, you might often find them looking at you, sometimes to the point of getting lost in their thoughts, and you'd have to pull them back.
People see you inverted in real life, or the opposite of your mirror image. When you look in a mirror, what you're actually seeing is a reversed image of yourself. As you're hanging out with friends or walking down the street, people see your image un-flipped.
A bathroom mirror, for instance, is very different than the one you'll have in your bedroom, hallway, or even your living room. Their key differences are their durability, humidity resistance and safety features, as well as specialized functionalities developed to enhance daily life.
The simple, easy answer is that they are both accurate but show you in different ways. Mirror shows you yourself flipped, a familiar image of yourself. The camera shows you an unflattering, more true-to-life image of yourself to everyone else, but it too can alter how you appear.
How to Become More Photogenic
The way in which we interact with others and the world around us is the key to being truly attractive. It is the way we carry ourselves. It is how we feel about ourselves. And, most importantly, it is how we make others feel about themselves when they are in our presence.
Some characteristics translate more gracefully to film than others. Sharp cheekbones, a square jaw, and other angular facial features make for attractive subjects in photography because they better capture the available light. Whereas, light reflected from rounder faces scatters in all directions.