Say No to Up-the-Nose!
- Tuesday, August 21 2012 @ 01:52 pm
- Contributed by: Jet
- Views: 1,044
Everyone’s pretty much familiar with the various “clever” ways of taking a self-portrait. Probably most familiar is an angle popularized by a certain social networking site, and favored by women - the camera is held above head height, pointing down at the face (and often, down the shirt as well). As it grew in popularity, however, it became a bit of a cliche (thankfully - the bobble-head look is neither accurate nor especially attractive!). Unfortunately, the men seem to have come up with their own cliche pose - but this one could actually put off your viewers!
I like to refer to this pose as the “up-the-nose.” It is the direct opposite of the “bobble-head look”; the camera is held somewhere below the height of the face, and is pointed upward. There are a few reasons why someone might possibly favor this pose: since it’s at a strange angle, the nose and the jaw line is somewhat distorted. Thus, if someone was self-conscious about their nose or their chin, taking a photo where you can’t determine what it really looks like might be an attractive option - at least in theory.
In practice, there is so much wrong with this pose. From an aesthetic standpoint, the forehead is tiny and the chin is huge. The nose is reduced to a pair of nostrils, almost like a pig snout. But what’s even worse are the psychological implications for the viewer.
By placing the viewer “below” the subject, it appears that the subject is looming above, looking down at you. While the subject might feel this makes him look powerful or tall, in reality it can make the viewer feel intimidated or that the subject is attempting to dominate them. In short, it’s a good way to send a message that you’re on some kind of power trip - without ever saying a word.
Which is a shame, really, because it’s possible that these photos stem from nothing more than the fact that the web cam is placed at an unfortunate height and it never occurred to them to fix it.
Thus, if you or someone you know is suffering from “up the nose” shots, do your best to eradicate this poor excuse for a self-portrait! Perhaps a little gentle education might be best; most people don’t actually intend to intimidate or turn off their readers, and they’d probably be all too happy to fix the problem. Remember: we want to see what you really look like. A genuine smile and happy eyes will let the real you shine through, and is always far more flattering to the nose or chin than a pinhead “up the nose” picture.
I like to refer to this pose as the “up-the-nose.” It is the direct opposite of the “bobble-head look”; the camera is held somewhere below the height of the face, and is pointed upward. There are a few reasons why someone might possibly favor this pose: since it’s at a strange angle, the nose and the jaw line is somewhat distorted. Thus, if someone was self-conscious about their nose or their chin, taking a photo where you can’t determine what it really looks like might be an attractive option - at least in theory.
In practice, there is so much wrong with this pose. From an aesthetic standpoint, the forehead is tiny and the chin is huge. The nose is reduced to a pair of nostrils, almost like a pig snout. But what’s even worse are the psychological implications for the viewer.
By placing the viewer “below” the subject, it appears that the subject is looming above, looking down at you. While the subject might feel this makes him look powerful or tall, in reality it can make the viewer feel intimidated or that the subject is attempting to dominate them. In short, it’s a good way to send a message that you’re on some kind of power trip - without ever saying a word.
Which is a shame, really, because it’s possible that these photos stem from nothing more than the fact that the web cam is placed at an unfortunate height and it never occurred to them to fix it.
Thus, if you or someone you know is suffering from “up the nose” shots, do your best to eradicate this poor excuse for a self-portrait! Perhaps a little gentle education might be best; most people don’t actually intend to intimidate or turn off their readers, and they’d probably be all too happy to fix the problem. Remember: we want to see what you really look like. A genuine smile and happy eyes will let the real you shine through, and is always far more flattering to the nose or chin than a pinhead “up the nose” picture.
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