TRAUMATIZED by video of myself

Yes! My boyfriend loves taking pictures of us, I can't stand to see my face and double chin so I tend to hide. He took one of me from the back and I could have just crawled into a hole. I couldn't believe I let go of myself that much

Two women I admired have passed away with barely any pictures of them at all. Neither were happy with the way they looked, preferring photos of themselves at their peak of beauty in their twenties. It’s hard to hold on to memories if there are no mementoes from those special moments.

I’m determined to document my life, plump and otherwise, to give those I love solid memories to sustain them. My daughter and granddaughter do not see the blemishes, the double chins, the wattle of extra skin, and the wrinkles.

I was able to help my granddaughter with her algebra yesterday, a surprise to us both. I mean, I learned this stuff thirty years ago. You gonna bet we will both hang on to this memory.

I HATE having my picture taken. When I'm in shape I'm still a butterface, which I made my peace with a long time ago, but looking the way I currently do there is nothing about my appearance that I like. Periodically we have to have our pictures taken at work, but always in groups and I'm tall so I end up in the back. From there I can adjust my stance so I'm hidden from the camera. People have commented how I never seem to be in the pictures and I just say I wasn't there that day.

Even at my lowest, hate having my picture taken. There's still areas of my body that will never look good after losing 80 lbs (and now regaining 20. Sigh). I totally sympathize OP.

Just two days ago we took some photos of us with our daughter on her birthday while we were out for dinner. I was absolutely horrified when I saw the photos later--I have gained about 6lbs since getting down to my goal weight, but I still considered myself to be in an OK range. But in the photos, I look like I need to lose another 20 lbs or more. I honestly didn't look anything like that to myself in the mirror. My daughter said the photos were just taken at a bad angle. I didn't buy it. But then a MFP friend told me about something she saw online about fitness professionals in photos taken at the same time, one when they are posing well, one when they are not. There was quite a difference in the photos. I started reading about how to pose for photos--I'm a total klutz about posing. In the awful photos, my arms were smashed against my body, hiding my waist and looking flattened--and large. Maybe there's something to it. But mostly, it just makes me realize I need to get serious about losing the last 6 lbs again and getting more toned. The photo still haunts me, and believe me I know how you feel. I think the best we can do is let this motivate us to make some positive changes. If we really apply ourselves, it won't be that long before we can look at ourselves and feel better about what we see, right?

Ok, advice-giving post now that I'm officially over my latest photo experience. At least, this is my *real* answer to "fighting the sadness." It may not work for anyone else.

"Great photos" of people generally have great angles, great lighting, perhaps some editing or smoothing, and a pleasing ratio of space to subject. This can happen with candids or group photos, but not often. We need to try to remember that it generally takes work for even the most photogenic people to have great photos. Everyone deals with crappy photos and videos, and everyone has these down periods. That's natural. However, the problem isn't with US. It is with the science of taking a 3d object (you) and rendering it in a 2d form (photo). With that, we are tuned in to our negatives, so will see them regardless of if it is a great photo or not.

I'm one of those people that needs facts to feel better about something, as no amount of cajoling or propping up will help me. Fact: big box chains generally make clothing to fit a couple of body types. If you are not in that range of body type, even the most mundane of clothing will fit weird. A friend reminded me of that, and it helped.

So, for photos in general, from a photographer with a ridiculous photo phobia to others: be aware of how you stand, the shape your body/arms/head makes, camera angle in relation to you, and your relationship with others (objects or people) in the photo. A simple head tilt, body twist, space showing between arm and waist/legs, or sticking your hip out will make a huge difference in the transition from a 3d person to a 2d photo.

For me, knowing these things supports the fact that what I SEE in a mirror clashes with what appears on a PHOTO. I went back to Target today, put one of the stupid bathing suits back on and took another photo with some of those things in mind. With just a couple of pose changes (I promise, not work, just, standing differently), I was better able to recreate what I was SEEING, and I didn't feel as bad when I saw the photo. Heh, I still wasn't happy, and you better bet I deleted it as soon as I was done scrutinizing it. But, it didn't traumatize me like it did Friday (or whenever that happened).

Unhappiness is a sign that something powerful is stirring inside of you. To do what the voice inside of you may have always been calling you to do...

Even worse: I love taking photos and always want to be in them, too, so I'm somewhere to be seen in our family albums. I will tell my husband to take a pic of my daughter and me (since there are thousand of the two of them) and I'm always super disappointed with how I look. Especially when it's from the side.

How the food is stored on you doesn't define who you are as a person, when you're fat and when you're skinny and fit. Take it easy.

use it as motivation. and love where you are. you can love where you are and still want to be a better version.