However getting to the question, it is technically very possible for a person to have an attractive face but not be photogenic. The problem is that the camera captures the face in 2D as opposed to our 3D vision. As the face appears to be flat, details like chin and nose are flattened on the face.
When being asked that can someone be very beautiful in person, but not very photogenic, most people would give the “YES” answer. There are some people around us look beautiful but not photogenic. What makes thing even more shocking is the opposite that some photogenic people do not surprise you in real life.
This is because the reflection you see every day in the mirror is the one you perceive to be original and hence a better-looking version of yourself. So, when you look at a photo of yourself, your face seems to be the wrong way as it is reversed than how you are used to seeing it.
In 2003, scientific evidence of the cheerleader effect was published in a paper where, across five studies, both men and women were rated more attractive when presented as part of a group photo compared to a solo photo.
(See: Selfies Make Your Face Look Bad. Here's why.) The most common cause of camera distortion is that the subject is too close to the lens. Most photographers say that the type of lens used also has a lot to do with it, and wide-angle lenses (like the ones in our camera phones) are big offenders.
Are Some People Just Naturally Photogenic? 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.
A new study shows that 20% of people see you as more attractive than you do. When you look in the mirror, all you see is your appearance. When others look at you they see something different such as personality, kindness, intelligence, and sense of humor. All these factors make up a part of a person's overall beauty.
Actually it does not make you look better. The mirror only inverts the image along an axis parallel with your two eyes. It doesn't make you look prettier or more handsome. If you are comparing the image to a selfie, it's the selfie that makes you look bad.
So, if you want to know if you are truly attractive, take a close look at both your physical appearance and your personality traits. Chances are that if you are confident and kind and use positive body language, like maintaining good eye contact and posture, others will find attractive qualities in you.
“According to the mere-exposure effect, when your slight facial asymmetries are left unflipped by the camera, you see an unappealing, alien version of yourself,” Wired explained. In other words, the camera version is like an unfamiliar portrait of ourselves that we neither recognize nor care to.
A camera has only one eye, so photography flattens images in a way that mirrors do not. Also, depending on the focal length and distance from the subject, the lens can create unflattering geometric distortions.
The mirror is a reflection.
It's a reflection, so it shows how we look like in reverse. Because we're so used to seeing the reverse version of ourselves, seeing how we look in pictures can be jarring. And unless you're blessed with a perfectly symmetrical face, the photo version of yourself can be even more wonky.
It's all about posing, angles, lighting and attitude! However, not liking yourself in photos is very real, and not being comfortable in front of a camera will translate to a photo easily, and create a less than perfect portrait of you.
Play With Poses
But, there are ways to look less uncomfortable than you feel. Move around a bit, play with your sunglasses, etc. It'll make for a more interesting photograph and it'll put you at ease. Posing will get less difficult and you'll come up with a few familiar go-to's over time.
It's called attentional bias. It's a natural fact that if you spend most of the time carefully examining your flaws, and only very little time appreciating your good points, the flaws will tend to weigh heaviest in your mind.
Hold two hand mirrors in front of you with their edges touching and a right angle between them like the two covers of a book when you're reading. With a little adjustment you can get a complete reflection of your face as others see it. Wink with your right eye. The person in the mirror winks his or her right eye.
Does camera show your real face? A photograph of you is your real face. When you look at the image of yourself in a mirror, you are looking at the reflection of your face, your face is exactly opposite what you see. A picture of you is most accurate as to what you look like, as the image faces the right direction.
Do we see ourselves uglier? In a series of studies, Epley and Whitchurch showed that we see ourselves as better looking than we actually are. The researchers took pictures of study participants and, using a computerized procedure, produced more attractive and less attractive versions of those pictures.
Body language research has shown that keeping your torso, chest, and abdomen open to the world is the best way to show availability. Open body language is more attractive than any outfit, hairstyle, or dance move.
Research shows that others see you as 20 per cent more attractive than you think you are. That's because, when you look in the mirror, you're simply judging yourself on looks. All you can see is your reflection - but none of the personality. Of course, it's important to make the best of what you've got,' says Dr Debra.
This may also provide an explanation for why many individuals think they are not photogenic: when people see their photographs—an unmodified view—they compare it to their memorized face, and the resulting incongruence is attributed to a poor photograph or being “not photogenic.”
Everyone is different. Some are photogenic, others aren't.