Friday, January 9, 2009

What's a Girl to Do?

Yesterday I read an article in this month's issue of Glamour magazine (yes, serious literature...) called "50 Little Health Tips Every Woman Should Know". Here's an excerpt from Dr. Kevin Wandler:

"If you think you look fat one day but were fine the
day before, remember that your reaction to what you see
in the mirror may be about emotions, not reality." (p. 194)
*
I have a problem now. If what we see when we look in the mirror is influenced by the emotions we're feeling at the time, and the camera adds 10 pounds, how are we ever supposed to know what we really look like?

7 comments:

Kennedy said...

So...now I am really confused!...LOL I just hope I look a better than what I see in mirror!!!

Brenda said...

In case anyone wants to argue with me about the validity of "the camera adding ten pounds", it's about compression and lighting. Compression occurs when a 3D object is depicted in a flat 2 dimensional manner. Lighting is used to shade some areas and highlight others. If the key light is on the wider part of a face or body, or the lighting is unbalanced and no compensation is made in the way of contouring or shading the subject, it can indeed look heavier. Models don't usually have this problem because there are people on set who are paid to make sure the makeup, lighting and camera angles are perfect. News anchors frequently do have this problem because the lighting and camera angles are less forgiving and the focus is not on making the anchor look flawless as it is with models.

My belief that a person can look heavier in a picture or video than they actually look has absolutely nothing to do with me being in denial about how heavy I am, then having the proof put in my face in photo form.

That's all I have to say about that.

Anonymous said...

That is a question for the ages.

So how do I trust when the scale tells me the extra 12 lbs I see in the mirror aren't a camera (or five) on me or my emotions getting in the way?

Brooke said...

Ha ha. Good point Brenda. I must have the same emotions pretty much everyday because I never think, Dang! I look skinny today! :)

Becky said...

How about a pedicure and some Hideaway pizza? Sounds like fun! Well, as fun as celebrating your 8th wedding anniversary with a fellow widow can be.

milan said...

There is no hope of ever really knowing what we look like. I would just give up right now. Don't worry, Bren, you are gorgeous. while we are on the topic of seeing photos of oneself and being shocked, I saw a picture of myself from behind...a view I never see in the mirror... and I was horrified by my back fat. great. one more thing to worry about. put it on the list.

Sara said...

With a gorgeous face like yours, who cares, you always look beautiful (and I have the pictures to prove it!!). I totally blame a good 8 pound variation on my hormones every month ;)