[lauranora93]

Okay, here's the thing. Everybody says I look incredible in real life and I'm on of the prettiest girls here in my college but in pictures I look hideous when I don't smile. I look dreadful and when I smile my mouth shapes a weird grin like ughh and my eyes look never where they are supposed to look. I can't even look at my own pictures and I flush with shame. I feel so embarrassed when people tell me about my awful pictures so I just avoid taking any and I don't let anyone but sometimes they take a picture like on my birthday last Sunday I was a bit drunk and I said okay its just a picture. Today I saw it and I just wanted to cry for letting them. And the worst they publish them in social networks when I'm with other people in the photo. I just hate that because I'm only 21 and I wish I could take pictures with my friends and look good. Any suggestions?
:(

[tickle]

Some of us are just not photogenic, but maybe you need to relax more. You freeze up in front of the camera.

[J_9]

Some of us are not photogenic, as Tickle said.

[odinn7]

Oh too bad...your pictures don't come out with you looking like a beauty queen? Perhaps you're ugly and insensitive on the inside and it's showing in pictures.

[CravenMorhead]

You have harsh criticism of yourself because you know your face. You know every blemish and pock mark. You know where the wrinkles are, or are going to be, you know the way your flesh dimples or where your stretch marks are. You are vitally aware of where all your imperfections are. Once you see them you can't unsee them. When you look at a photo, you don't see what everyone else sees but what imperfections of yours that you notice. Do you do this for your friends photos? I know you have at least one or two that had bad acne or uneven skin, or what not. You don't. You notice them, but you don't pay them any mind. Why can't you accept the fact that you're not perfect? Give yourself the same slack you give others. Holding yourself up to impossible standards like this will just cause you problems. You can, if you re-read this thread, already see them starting to come in.

You're beautiful. It doesn't matter what you look like, you're beautiful. The next time you look in the mirror you will see everything that is wrong with you, you should also notice the things that make you attractive. I don't know what you look like, but try this. Look at yourself and try to see yourself as a different person. Disassociate your identity from the image in the mirror. Look at yourself as a different person. What do you see?

The sooner you accept yourself as you are the sooner you'll be happy with your pictures.