Author Topic: Photogenic Pheatures  (Read 3326 times)

beck

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Photogenic Pheatures
« on: July 14, 2007, 02:30:15 PM »
What exactly does it mean when you are considered photogenic? I was told I wasn't photogenic....well, that is something I already knew. I am not. Not at all, in fact. I look different in every single picture taken of me. Sometimes I can take on this male appearance, too, oddly. But does that mean I am not worthy of a great photograph?

Anyhow, I can't remember where I read this, but, it said there are points to the face, in numeral sequence or rather, that when added up and placed in order, they can either be in your favor...or not....and then making you less photogenic. I suspect when looking at someone with a natural eye as opposed to a glass lens, you are bound to look better in person. Maybe not.

This is how I can tell if a person is photogenic or not. In a silly manner, of course...and not scientifically proven. Not that I necessarily believe we can or cannot be, photogenic. I took a photo of someone who I thought might be photogenic, grabbed it from the web, a good looking person. I put it in PS and reversed the shot. Well, strangely, they appeared odd with those perfect features seeming out of place and out of whack. Surly I could have identified that by seeing them with the naked eye. Then, I took a not so attractive person from the web, to someone else, of course, and turned it around and found that they appeared to be more photogenic, with features still in place and not contorted...and even looked a little better. Hmmm...

And how is that we can identify what is pretty to us and what is not? Does society have us that whipped on perfection that we are blinded by what true beauty can represent? Give me the bizarre any day. I have more things in common with folks I know who are, say, less attractive. Odd features like huge eyes, bad teeth and the like. Imperfections. I tend to move with a crowd who possess those sorts of features. God forbid if I had a female friend who looked better than me..haha. I don't...

If given the chance to photograph someone with perfect features and someone with imperfections, for example, Roger Ballen's, Dresie and Casie twins...I would give my right leg and arm. To me they are picture perfect examples of being, photogenic. They look the same, and not in a twin sense, but photographically. By the way, it was their picture that I turned around and found their features still identical as when the picture was not....the perception was unchanged as opposed to the person who was better looking. That example I can't seem to find in my documents to show you.


This may or may not make much sense to anyone...and I tried to give a simple explanation for my saying....so try to decipher what you can. I'm sure there is someone who can recognize what it is I was trying to say.

Here's the twins....drooool.

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« Last Edit: July 14, 2007, 02:38:12 PM by beck »
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moominsean

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Re: Photogenic Pheatures
« Reply #1 on: July 14, 2007, 04:19:59 PM »
i have the same prob. i'm not photogenic at all. i can look pretty decent or really goofy, but never more than just a person in a photograph (ubless i'm using tricks to obscure my face). i love people photography and though i'm too wimpy to ever ask anyone, i always look at someone and think about how cool they would look on film. The giant with his three foot mother using a walker. the cp guy who wears a dress. the 20 year old girl with square sunglasses that literally cover half forehead to below the nose. i see all these people around here and it just kills me to not snap them.

story about that twins shot. before i was dating my last girlfriend, when i just worked with her, and her mom, i put their faces on those two dudes (that's what we did for entertainment...photoshop insults).
sean
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Phil Bebbington

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Re: Photogenic Pheatures
« Reply #2 on: July 15, 2007, 07:18:45 PM »
I guess photogenic means different things to different people. I would guess we all think of ourselves as not photogenic. For 5 years I worked in a photographic studio and without exception people always said I hate having my photo taken or I look horrible in photographs. Perhaps when it comes to photos of ourselves we are not the ones to judge whether we are photogenic or not.

One thing I do know Beck...if you like the twins you will love me!...Oh yes!

Time for a gin..oh that was another gin  :P

Skorj

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Re: Photogenic Pheatures
« Reply #3 on: July 16, 2007, 01:26:43 PM »
I used to think I wasn't photogenic, but then I was asked to be a stand-in for Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise - in the same week! Go figure. I had to turn the Cruise job down though because I didn't want to cut off half my legs...

Regardless, I know what you're on about, as it is the normal, and abnormal, I like to photograph. Nothing worse than magazine covers all over the place. Makes me gag. I want to show the normalnesses. I ask a myriad of folks, and those that turn me down are often the ones that say `no` because they do not think they are `photogenic`. Some I tell that is why I want to photograph them, and some then say `yes`. Love it.

Just what this guy said in fact:
« Last Edit: July 16, 2007, 01:30:18 PM by Skorj »

kucharo

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Re: Photogenic Pheatures
« Reply #4 on: July 16, 2007, 05:47:39 PM »
The photogenic nature of a subject has more to do with the photographer than the subject. The photographer should be able to find the most interesting shot of a subject, regardless of it's relative attractiveness in the popular sense.

I guess if it stands out, then it is 'attractive' in the purest sense of the word. I think that also includes Skorj-san's normality, as a shot of an otherwise prosaic subject can be brought up to the level of interest (or photogenaity) for an audience. Seeing something in a new way, or for the first time when it otherwise went unnoticed is one of the hallmarks of a great composition.

Like a sculpture, a photographer can take a otherwise dull chunk of material and chip away here and there until something of interest is revealed. Or sometimes, they simply need to train their lens on something that hadn't had such attention before.
« Last Edit: July 16, 2007, 05:49:33 PM by kucharo »

moominsean

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Re: Photogenic Pheatures
« Reply #5 on: July 17, 2007, 03:37:13 AM »
kucharo: enough with the deep prose, man! yer makin' my head hurt!
"A world without Polaroid is a terrible place."
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kucharo

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Re: Photogenic Pheatures
« Reply #6 on: July 17, 2007, 03:39:17 AM »
Ha!

Ok, yeah it was a bit florid..

Photogenic is whatever looks hot!