Should you flip a selfie horizontally to match how other people see you?
Asked 8/5/2016
1 views
2 answers
0
If I take a photo of myself with a rear camera, front camera, or DSLR, do I need to flip it horizontally to see how I actually look to other people? I know some phones mirror the front-camera preview, so I’m confused about whether the saved image or the flipped version is the more accurate representation.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
8
No. The picture straight out of your camera is what you look like to others. You don't need to reverse it. Think about it - when you take a picture of something else with your camera, you don't need to reverse it to see it how others would. (Otherwise any text in a photo would be backwards!) So it's the same when taking a picture of yourself.
You might be interested, though, in artists who have experimented with facial symmetry:
"Both Sides Of" by Alex John Beck, for example, makes images of peoples left side mirrored to the right and vice-versa.
EDIT As mentioned in the comments, your cell phone may reverse the image during preview if you're using the front-facing camera. But once it takes the picture, it's no longer reversed. This is because it's easier to fix your hair/make-up/tie/etc. because you're probably used to doing those things in a mirror.
Originally by user22895. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user22895
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Usually, no. A normal photo from a camera already shows you the way other people would see you, so you do not need to flip it.
The main source of confusion is front-camera selfies: many phones mirror the live preview so it behaves more like a mirror while you compose the shot. Depending on the app or phone settings, the saved image may be corrected automatically or may stay mirrored.
Rear-camera photos are generally not flipped, and a DSLR/self-timer photo is also the normal view. A simple check is to photograph something with obvious left/right detail, like text: if the text reads backward, the image is mirrored.
So if you want the most reliable, natural representation, use the rear camera or any non-mirrored saved image. Flipping a normal photo horizontally does not make it more accurate; it just turns it into the mirror version you’re more used to seeing yourself as.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI9y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Should you flip a selfie before posting it online?
Do studio cameras show a more accurate likeness than a mirror or smartphone selfie?
Why do photos of me look different from how I look in real life?
Is it OK to horizontally flip portraits for a team composite?
How can I tell whether a smartphone’s front camera has a real flash or just a screen flash?