specific problem with self-portrait

[angelstrings]

Hello everyone,

First, thanks so much for having me here. I am grateful to have found a forum where I can go to ask questions while just getting started in taking photographs. I have always used a digital camera, with not-so-good results to do self-portraits.

My brother has a point and click that I have been using. However, my image is always distorted and I don't know why. I understand that what we see in the mirror is often different than how we really look, due to asymmetry, but this beats all I've ever seen.

The problem is that, when I hold the camera at arm's length to take my own picture, the resulting image looks like the focus is on my nose, and the rest of my face is receeding from that focal point. My face even looks narrower and longer. That said, I've seen myself in Polaroids and non-digital pics, and I look nothing like this.

So what gives? And what camera could I invest in that would allow me to take self-portraits that produce a realistic image of myself?

Any help will be so greatly appreciated. Take care!
angela

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by angelstrings

Hello everyone,

First, thanks so much for having me here. I am grateful to have found a forum where I can go to ask questions while just getting started in taking photographs. I have always used a digital camera, with not-so-good results to do self-portraits.

My brother has a point and click that I have been using. However, my image is always distorted and I don't know why. I understand that what we see in the mirror is often different than how we really look, due to asymmetry, but this beats all I've ever seen.

The problem is that, when I hold the camera at arm's length to take my own picture, the resulting image looks like the focus is on my nose, and the rest of my face is receeding from that focal point. My face even looks narrower and longer. That said, I've seen myself in Polaroids and non-digital pics, and I look nothing like this.

So what gives? And what camera could I invest in that would allow me to take self-portraits that produce a realistic image of myself?

Any help will be so greatly appreciated. Take care!
angela

Angela, welcome! Your point and shoot camera will probably try to focus on the closest thing which happens to be your nose. In portrait photography, that's a no no as you always want the eyes to be in sharp focus. Depending on the camera you are using, you just might be too close to the camera for it to focus properly. Also, if you have the camera zoomed to a wider angle setting, that too, will cause some fisheye like distortions...not very flattering for a self portrait. I don't think there is too much you can do with your point & shoot camera that will solve this unless you have the type that has a flip out LCD screen allowing you to see, and place the focus point on your eye...of course the other option is to have someone else shoot you...not really a self portrait though.

[Raoul Isidro]

To be able to take your portrait at arms length, the P&S (or even a DSLR) would use a wide angle focal length, and these wide angles produce funny images of peoples faces or even pets. Just Google "funny wide angle images" and you'll see what this means. Try to take the shot at a longer distance and with normal to telephoto focal lengths.