Why do we cringe at our own photos? Here’s the science behind selfie self-criticism

Snapshots of ourselves everywhere we go is just part of our digital culture. But if you shudder at some of your selfies, you’re not alone. Many people are critical of how they look. There’s a lot of science to explain why we don’t like what we see in photos.

Looking back on their Alaskan vacation photos, Christopher Contreras and Arturo Castro of Glendale reflect on the fun they had but occasionally they may cringe at an unflattering image.

“Sometimes the lighting’s a little bit off, your angle’s a little bit off, and that may make you look a little bit different, a little bit more funky,” Castro said.

“I think social media gives people permission to criticize themselves more than they need to,” said Contreras.

Comparing yourself to others can erode your confidence. But mental health experts say it’s more than that. First there’s the mirror-exposure effect.

“All of us have a little bit of asymmetry in our faces. One eye is bigger than the other. When you smile one side tends to pull more than the other,” said UCLA Health Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist Dr. Jena Lee.

She said we’re accustomed to how our faces appear when we look in a mirror.

“So when the asymmetry is flipped, we don’t like it because something that is not familiar in our brains is not good,” she said.

Then there’s confirmation bias. Our minds seek to support the negative narratives we tell ourselves.

“We are quick to zoom in on the insecurities that we have and check that before we actually examine not only the rest of our face, but the rest of the picture,” said Lee.

Lee added that if you really dislike taking pictures of yourself or you’re highly critical, there are ways to retrain your brain.

“Understand that a photo is a 2D representation of a 3D world, so it’s not always accurate,” she said

Lee’s advice is to speak more kindly to yourself and to nurture confidence. Remember photos are about documenting memories.

“Try to experience more of what that photo depicts and what you felt during that experience because more likely that’s how your friends and family are viewing the photo and how you look in there,” Lee said.

It’s advice Castro and Contreras try to apply when looking at their photos.

“There’s more to it than just your self image, especially when we’re looking at memories. How does that make you feel at that moment? Staying in that moment. Staying in the present. Sometimes that’s a little more important,” said Castro.