The Selfie Camera: Why Does Nobody Care?

Selfies are a carefully composed photo, taken at the right angle, in the right light, and with the right expression. They allow us to examine and re-create our image in a way that we feel comfortable with. However, selfies distort our faces, making things seem out of proportion. This is because the camera is not like the human eye, which can view an entire scene in stereo and use the brain to process it and take relative distance and perspective into account. The camera distorts everything, all the time, and the photographer does too.

The problem with selfies is that when we get really close to the camera, our nose is much closer to the lens than our eyes. This makes our nose and/or chin look ginormous and distorted. It's not about the lens width, it's about the distance from the camera to the subject.

Another reason why selfies are preferred is that we are used to seeing our mirror image, which is flipped, and that is the image we have of ourselves in our minds. When we take a selfie, we're seeing our face as other people see us in real life, not as we see ourselves in the mirror. This can be jarring and we tend to prefer the mirror you instead of the camera you.

However, it's important to note that not everyone cares about taking selfies. Some people may prefer the way they look in photos taken by others, or they may not be interested in taking photos of themselves at all. Additionally, there are other factors that can contribute to looking bad in selfies, such as lack of sleep, dehydration, and poor lighting.

Selfie cameras distort your features

Lens Distortion

The lenses used in smartphone selfie cameras are typically very short, which is not optimal for close-up facial photography. As a result, these lenses can make your face, nose, and eyes appear wider than they actually are. This distortion is even more pronounced in selfies because the image you see is a mirror image. A study published in the JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery Journal found that photos taken up close made the nose appear about 30% wider than in real life.

Focal Length and Distance

The focal length of a lens also affects the distortion in selfies. A wide-angle lens, commonly used in selfie cameras, allows you to capture a larger field of view. However, when taking a selfie, you typically want to fill the frame with your face, which requires getting very close to the camera. As a result, your nose or chin, being closer to the lens than your eyes, will appear much larger and distorted. To avoid this distortion, you would need to take the photo from a greater distance, but then the image quality may suffer.

Lighting

Lighting plays a crucial role in how you appear in selfies. Harsh lighting or camera flash can make your skin look shiny or give you an overexposed, sickly appearance. Natural light is often the best option for flattering selfies.

Perspective

Perspective also comes into play with selfie cameras. Since cameras have a single "eye," unlike human stereo vision, they can change the relative proportions of objects. In a selfie, your nose or chin, being closer to the lens, will appear larger than they would in person, and the brain won't correct for this distortion as it does in real life.

Impact on Self-Esteem

It's important to be aware that the image you see in a selfie is not an accurate representation of how you look to others or even to yourself in a mirror. The distortion caused by selfie cameras can lead to negative self-esteem and body image issues. Understanding the technical reasons behind these distortions can help you view your selfies with a more critical eye and remember that they don't reflect reality.

Selfies are carefully composed photos

The appeal of selfies comes from their ease of creation and sharing, and the control they give people over how they present themselves. Selfies are carefully composed to show oneself in the best light, at the right angle, and with the right expression. They are a way to examine and recreate one's image in a way that feels comfortable.

The composition of a selfie can be influenced by various factors, such as lighting, camera angle, and distance from the camera. The camera's lens and perspective can distort the image, making objects closer to the lens appear larger. This is why selfies often make one's nose or chin look bigger than they are in real life.

The art of selfie-taking has evolved over time, with the use of selfie sticks, drone selfies or "dronies", and ultra-wide-angle lenses for unpredictable "point five selfies". The term "selfie" was first used in 2002 and has since become a popular form of self-expression and social interaction.

Selfies are a polite fiction

The lure of the selfie

The selfie is an enticing idea: the possibility of presenting yourself to the world in the same way that you see yourself. At the right angle, in the right light, with the right expression. It is a carefully composed photo, and selfies have the power to make us feel great, or – on the days where we can’t find our angle – make us feel rotten.

The mirror's reflection

The image of yourself that you get from real life comes from mirrors, which aren’t technically a true representation of your looks. But that’s the best option we’ve got, so our self-image comes from what we see through the reflection of a mirror. The tricky thing here is that mirrors flip images. So when you gaze at your cute ensemble in the mirror before a night out, you’re seeing a distorted, flipped image of yourself.

The camera's gaze

Phone cameras, on the other hand, don’t flip your image (unless you change their settings). When you snap a selfie, you’re seeing your face as other people see you in real life, not as you see yourself in the mirror. This can be jarring. You’re used to seeing yourself one way, but then you look like a hot mess in your selfies! This is called the mere exposure effect, which happens when you prefer something because you see it all the time. So yeah, you’re going to prefer the "mirror you" instead of "camera you."

The camera never lies?

Mirrors aside, there are other reasons why you might look different on camera than you do in real life. Asymmetry is one: nobody is perfectly symmetrical. When you see your image flipped in a selfie on your phone’s camera, your symmetry will look off.

Lens distortion is another. A selfie captures your face in 2D, but in reality, you’re a 3D person. When you translate that into a selfie, your picture is going to look flatter than usual. The proportions will definitely change when you take a selfie versus real life. The good news is that nicer cameras don’t have this problem, so make sure you aren’t using your old smartphone to snap selfies.

The art of the selfie

In selfies, you’re usually using your phone light or a light source, and it’s soft lighting. At parties/restaurants etc, the lights are above and tend to be harsh. It makes every bump and line noticeable. In selfies, you’re also purposefully posturing yourself in a way and in an angle with lighting you know you’ll look best in. Possible filters too. Candid photos tend to be taken when the subject is unaware so unless you’re sitting selfie-ready 24/7 – you’re going to look different.

The solution?

If you don’t like how your selfies are coming out, troubleshoot by reading up on these common selfie problems — and learn how to fix them fast. Blame the lighting: step out onto your porch or balcony and snap a pic in natural light. It’s hard to substitute the glowing, natural rays of the sun. But if you’re stuck inside, you can use apps to add filters, remove glare, mattify shine, or play with the lighting levels on your selfie.

Photos reverse your image: some apps and front-facing cameras will capture your face as other people will see it (not how it looks in the mirror). Because our faces aren’t 100% symmetrical, seeing the image flipped might feel weird. Fortunately, this one’s easy to fix. Most phones come with a “flip” option in the picture editor. Just flip the image and fix it.

How close are you to the camera? Unless you’re using a selfie stick, you’re probably close to the camera for your selfies. That’s all well and good, but sometimes, being too close to the camera is a bad thing. The angle can distort or emphasize certain features, like your nose, that are closer to the camera and it’s not always flattering. If you can’t change your proximity to your phone, use apps to emphasize or minimize certain features.

The camera captures just a small moment: our eyes are used to seeing fluid images — nothing's perfectly still in real life. When a camera captures a millisecond of time, you can see every blotch and blemish in living color. This is an easy fix, though, and it's one that doesn't require pricey concealer. Apps can remove blemishes to seamlessly match your skin tone.

Selfie cameras are a staple of smartphone design

Selfie cameras have been a staple of smartphone design for over a decade. They are a key feature of smartphones, alongside the battery, display, and headphone jack. Millions of people love taking selfies to share on social media or to capture memories with friends, family, and pets.

However, there have been suggestions to remove selfie cameras to improve phone aesthetics and functionality and enhance selfie quality. For example, the HUAWEI Mate XS foldable phone does not have a front-facing camera. Instead, it uses a rear Leica-branded camera suite, considered one of the best in the market, to take selfies. The Motorola Razr also uses its rear camera and a small secondary display for selfies.

While removing the selfie camera may improve phone design and selfie quality, there are concerns about over-engineering, price hikes, and durability. Implementing a second screen poorly may look silly and lead to higher prices and more durability concerns from accidental drops or scratches.

Despite these concerns, the idea of removing the selfie camera to enhance phone aesthetics and selfie quality is intriguing. It remains to be seen whether smartphone manufacturers will explore this idea further and bring it to regular phones.

Selfies are tied to emotions

Selfies allow us to examine and re-create our own image in a way that we feel comfortable with. They have the power to make us feel wonderful or lousy about ourselves. The more we work with photos, the more adamant we are that they do not ever, and will not ever, reflect reality. See a crappy photo of yourself? It's probably not what you look like. A great photo of you? Hooray! That's probably not what you look like either. It's good to practice releasing the power that photos have over the way we think of ourselves. Let a wonderful photo bring you joy, and let a bad photo go.

The reasons we take selfies are nuanced and most have nothing to do with being full of ourselves. When we take selfies, we're feeding our desire to understand ourselves better in a visual way. We're trying different identities, trying different ways of looking at ourselves, trying to understand how other people see us, and trying to see what our 'aspirational' self looks like.

When we post selfies, we're also able to control the image we're communicating to the world. For every selfie someone posts, they might have 27 other options stored on their phone. Curation isn't inherently bad. You're making conscious decisions about self-representation.

Research has confirmed that the main reasons people take their photos and post them on social networks include the following: the desire to increase their self-esteem; communication; the transfer and preservation of information; entertainment; seeking self-approval; maintaining a sense of belonging; and preserving memories and experiences.

Selfies can be a chance for social validation, which is not a bad thing in and of itself. This idea that we should feel guilty about wanting social validation is just crazy. It's hardwired into our brains. The key is not letting our inherent desire for likes and followers get out of hand.

Selfies can also be a way of connecting with others via technology. Even if there's no direct talking going on in the comments section or a message, it's still an extremely effective means of communication. The amount of information that goes to someone in an image is significantly more than can go to someone in text.

However, selfies can also be associated with self-centredness, or a lack of self-confidence; with a desire for self-affirmation; or even with an excess of free time. Some studies have found that selfie-posting was positively related to self-esteem, with positive feedback mediating this relationship. Other research points to narcissism as a predictor of how likely individuals are to post selfies.

Narcissism has become something of a buzzword that's frequently thrown around, particularly in relation to social media habits. To a certain degree, a small dose of narcissism is healthy. It can help foster a positive self-image, help individuals cope with embarrassment, take pride in their accomplishments, and have a balanced interest in their appearance and how others perceive them. However, a narcissistic personality disorder, also called "pathological narcissism", goes far beyond feeling pride in accomplishments. It's a brain disorder that often needs professional intervention.

Selfies can be a chance for social validation, which is not a bad thing in and of itself. This idea that we should feel guilty about wanting social validation is just crazy. It's hardwired into our brains. The key is not letting our inherent desire for likes and followers get out of hand.

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