How do others see me?
In the mirror you see yourself reversed. Here the camera shows your face the way others see it: not mirrored, and next to the mirror image if you like.
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Tip: place the phone about a metre away at eye level and use the self-timer. From close up, the middle of the face looks bigger than others see it.
Whether a selfie is already saved the right way round depends on the phone. Text in the picture helps: if it is readable under “How others see you”, the view is right.
Why you look different in photos
A mirror swaps left and right. A parting on the left appears on the right in the mirror, a lopsided smile on the other side. Nobody else ever sees you like that.
You see your mirror image every day. That is why the right-way-round image feels strange at first, even though it is exactly the one everyone else knows.
Selfies are usually taken from 30 to 40 cm. From that close, the middle of the face looks bigger and the ears recede. In conversation people see you from one to two metres.
The unmirrored image is still a flat photo from one angle. Others see your face in motion and from different sides.
Frequently asked questions
Is the unmirrored image what others see?
The right way round, yes: left is left. But a photo is still a flat image from one angle and one distance. In everyday life others see your face in motion, with expressions and usually from one to two metres.
Does the iPhone save selfies mirrored?
Normally not: while taking the picture the iPhone shows a mirror image, but the photo is saved the right way round. You can change this under Settings › Camera › “Mirror Front Camera”. On Android phones it varies by manufacturer.
Why does my nose look bigger in selfies?
Because of the short distance: the tip of the nose is closer to the camera than the cheeks and ears, so it appears larger. From about one metre away the effect largely disappears. Mirroring does not change that.
More tools in this category
- Resize an image Change size and format, including HEIC to JPG.
- Crop an image Select an area, also 1:1, 16:9 or round.
- Rotate & flip an image Rotate by 90 or 180 degrees, flip.
- Filters & frames Black and white, pixelate, frames, rounded corners.
- Text on image Write text on a photo.
- Create a collage Combine several photos into one image.