When I show the portraits and headshots I just took of a client, some of them focus on their own imperfections. The nose that's slightly bigger, an eye a wee bit smaller than the other, freckles on their cheeks, stained teeth, forehead that's way too high for their taste, hair that's falling in the wrong direction...the list is endless. Others (smart folk) seek other's opinion (like a friend, spouse or the photographer, that's me) which is a good thing to do, we'll see in a minute as to why. It is amazing how for a space as small as our face we can find infinite imperfections. How do we manage to imagine mountains of imperfections out of molehills of our features? (no pun).
The answer lies in our neurobiology, more specifically in a hidden pathway in our brain (hypothalamus) called RAS (Reticular Activating System). If you are interested in these nerdy details head over to this link to this wonderful article by Sandro Saferelli. If you don't, here is a quick and dirty summary: our mind focuses on what we want it to focus on, well da! If we overanalyze our imperfections, we keep looking for them ignoring the fact that others don't look at us the same way. Others don't notice every poke mark, every blemish and curve on our faces, far from it. They are busy doing it to themselves, haha! Hence it is always a good idea to seek other's (not everyone's, just one or two people only) opinion about how your photos is.
Bottom line? those of us who are unforgiving of ourselves are wasting our precious resource, our thinking, our time. We can pick and choose what we want to focus on. We can do better at picking on our own thoughts and directing, nudging ourselves like our mind is a child that it is.
Speaking of looking good in photos, let's hear it from you, when do you want your photo shoot done? Get in touch with me by clicking here and let's setup your shoot soon. Till next time!