The FastDay Forum

This is inspired by @ballerina and @callyanna exhorting me to get a new photo for my avatar, as (they say) my current one does me no favours.

I have seen some truly lovely natural photos of you beautiful people on here recently and I wondered what the secret is.

My parents brought me up to consider myself well, if not ugly, then certainly 'not pretty' and to believe that beauty comes from within.
Most photos I see of myself are a self fulfilling prophesy and any decent photo, I feel I daren't post, because it's not a true representation of 'me'.

Now, don't start bolstering my confidence, because I'm a bit too old for that, but how should I aim to get a decent photo taken? Hubs is a half decent photographer, so we're half way there with that one! Now to the subject matter....

I've decided to get hubs to take lots of photos this weekend and I'd like to post them, if I dare, for you to decide on my new avatar.

Any hints and tips on this momentous occasion, please?

[Debs]

As someone who avoids having her photo taken like the plague, I offer this advice! Wear something you feel really, really good in. If you feel comfortable, hold something near your face, like a puppy!!! Head very slightly down and slightly tilted to one side! Otherwise, steal the camera and hide it! How about you and Anu, now that would be nice!

I hate having my photo taken-I always seem to end up with a double chin and nowadays I don't have one! Be careful about the angle of your head would be my advice.

[carorees]

My OH is a really good photographer - of wildlife - but not of me it seems! I look dreadful in all the photos he's taken so when I wanted some photos for the before and after thread I had to do it myself. I think the selfies I took look better than OH's efforts because a) the lighting was dim (no expensive flash guns!), b) the phone's camera is not such a high resolution as his fancy pants camera so it doesn't show all the flaws .

I don't have any proper tips but I would say that your opinion that

any decent photo, I feel I daren't post, because it's not a true representation of 'me'.

is probably wrong. Ask your OH which photos actually look like you and I'll bet he says that the 'decent' ones are far more representational of you than those you think are correct!

No advice from me ..i take an awful photo probably because i am totally uncomfortable and stiff in front of the camera..but i hope you get lots of good tips that i can learn from too..
I wish we were both like my greatniece who just falls into a natural pose when asked for a photo and invariably looks wonderful! Am sure it all comes down to feeling happy with yrself which i am not!
Look forward to seeing yr pics! X

I was once asked to take a picture of a group of women, strangers to me, on some sort of celebratory outing. They got into a suitable formation, I lined up the camera, then just as I was about to snap, they all chorused "Look away, look away, look away, and .. Look!" turning slightly away from the camera and then swinging back to front on at the final "look". Once I stopped falling about laughing and had taken the shot, they explained that this produced a more natural spontaneous expression than waiting stiffly for the photographer.

I tried it out a few times after that and the result was either blurred or crazed-looking, or sometimes both. But I pass on the tip in case it works for you!

That's the beauty of digital photography - if you don't like what you see, away it goes!

The camera loves some people and hates others, I have a son who has never had a bad Photo taken of him in his life. He isn't ugly but no more handsome than my other sons who don't photograph so well. I think it is because he has always been a laid-back sort of person, so my advice is to relax, chill out as they say, good luck.

Now then our Penny, your avatar, and to be honest the group photograph we took in Liverpool, does absolutely nothing for you. In the flesh you are a very attractive lady and you deserve to have a public face that reflects that, so, get that man and his digital going this weekend and yes, a voting system on the one we like most will be great fun,

Ballerina x

I hate having my photo taken too, so I find that action shots are the best, I never look normal if I try and pose. Maybe you should try going about your business and letting the OH take some pics while you try and forget he's there?

[wildmissus]

Not a lot of advice but a bit of understanding. As a child my father always used to say to me 'you are old enough and ugly enough to...' Needless to say I've never considered myself anything other than ugly. However, I hope that I look better in real life that in photos .

I agree with @Nessie, my oldest daughter looks dreadful in photos but she is always quite 'stiff'. Youngest daughter is quite laid back and often looks better in photos than in real life . Don't tell her I said that!

The photos I generally like best of people are the ones where they are not expecting to have their photos taken.

Hi Penny,

I just recently had OH take pictures for the obituary that I had done (in advance, need I add? ) to be on file at the funeral home where we have prepaid for funerals. Maybe I should post something on this topic in the Senior thread. Feels good to be prepared and to remove some of the burden from our children's shoulders.

For years I had been trying to reproduce the pose of a really good photo from 1976. Just didn't work. So OH took lots and lots of photos in different poses and with or sans glasses, smiling, not smiling, etc. The best one was straight ahead, small smile. Shows my added confidence and directness since 1976--suits my personality, I think. There's a bit of "don't tread on me" to the look, but still friendly. Using my photo-editing software, I blurred the background somewhat, added a bit of contrast and brightness as that particular shot had the washed-out look of over-exposure. Your photog OH knows all about that kind of thing, to be sure.

So, my advice would be to try lots of different looks til you find the "real you". Really looking forward to seeing the results!!

It's never too late to have your confidence bolstered.

When I was about 11, my father told me I would never be pretty, but that I could learn to make the most of what I had. He pointed out that as a chubby child, I couldn't carry off clothes like my "clothes horse" of a sister could. Lovely.

Advice given to me over the years (the camera doesn't like me either):

Look INTO the camera lens, not at it, ie like you are looking at someone you love.
Or, get someone to take an action shot of you and not looking at the camera at all.
Don't wear stripes, white (too harsh) or black (too draining) near your face. Blue is good.
Produce the picture in black and white..

Any hints and tips on this momentous occasion, please?

You are so brave @PennyForthem, especially saying we can vote on the new pictures.....if it was me I'd run in the opposite direction!