So a good first step when evaluating a particular photo is checking that it is sharp with good tonal range, good contrast between shadows and highlights and focused correctly on the right part of the scene.
A good photograph focuses on at least one subject, makes that subject clear in the photo, and composes the entire image in a way that is visual appealing (usually relying on the rule of thirds.)
Some of these elements include, but are not limited to lighting, the rule of thirds, lines, shapes, texture, patterns, and color. All of these things play an important role when it comes to photography. One of the most important of these elements is lighting.
1 – A Good Photo Has a Compelling Composition
Some less common techniques involve negative space, leading lines, depth of field, and framing. I mention this rule first because it doesn't matter which particular style, technique, or rule you follow, so long as every image is thoughtfully composed.
There's a difference between your image in the mirror and in photos. The image you see in the mirror is reversed compared to the image that others see face-to-face with you. Your friends are familiar with your non-reversed image, while you are familiar with your reversed image in a regular mirror.
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.
Summary. Mirror images provide a more accurate perception of self due to the mere exposure effect, while camera images show how others see us. Selfies offer a unique perspective but can be distorted and less accurate than mirror selfies.
If you think you look better in person than in photographs, you're probably right. According to new research by psychologists at the Universities of California and Harvard, most of us succumb to the “frozen face effect” in still photos — and it's not very flattering.
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.
A naturally photogenic person is someone who looks good on camera from most angles, with most expressions – even if they're not good-looking in real life. The reason you think some of your friends are photogenic is probably because they've spent time figuring out their good angles so they always look great in pictures.
Ever suspect that your forehead or nose looked larger in a particular picture than in real life? More than likely, you were correct. Camera distortion is ubiquitous in social media pictures — especially selfies.
Photos show us as others see us, which means our features are flipped compared to our mirrored image. This can make us feel like we look off or not quite like ourselves, leading to dissatisfaction with our photographs.
So, a smartphone camera can alter your facial features and proportions. Even if you have a chiselled jaw or strong cheekbones in real life, they can appear disproportionate in the photos. If you are too close or too far from the camera, it can make a big difference to the photo.
A new study shows that 20% of people see you as more attractive than you do.
Another reason why people are not photogenic in picture is that cameras over-emphasize flaws. It may even distort your features when you stand close to the lens, such as your legs or arms may look stronger than they are.
You typically are not lit (or posed) properly.
There is so much more than just knowing how to work a camera to produce a good photo. Lighting (and posing for that matter) is a huge factor.
Don't Focus on the Camera
Try looking around in different directions, making noises with your mouth, or anything you can to distract yourself. That way when it comes time for you to smile, it will look more natural and relaxed. The key to a photogenic smile is to make it look real!
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.
We have spent our lives seeing our faces in the mirror, and we have become used to seeing our face that way round. So when we reverse that image, it doesn't look right. No one has a perfectly symmetrical face. Most people part their hair on one side rather than the other.
Our brains interpret it as a real image of our appearance. 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.
The camera lens is not the human eye
It's called lens distortion and it can render your nose, eyes, hips, head, chest, thighs and all the rest of it marginally bigger, smaller, wider or narrower than they really are.
All photos are lies, distortions of the truth, and that goes double triple for selfies. Every photo in existence is altered and constrained by many factors, including the camera itself, the focal length of the lens we use, lighting and posing of the subject and the perspective from which the photo was taken.