WIW photos...why do my legs look short?

Cilleena

I've noticed in my WIW photos that my legs look rather shorter than they are in real life. Is it the camera angle? I'm using a self timer and balancing the camera on a storage container to bring it up to the heighth where I am in the frame. Then, I prop the "lens"...sorry I'm a camera dummy...with a coaster to get it close to parallel....I would say the lens is the height of my waist. I really noticed it in today's picture. Short legs. My legs are actually longer than my torso....I am a little short waisted and longer in the legs. The leg length looks even with body length to me. Distorted photos make it hard to judge an outfit. Any tips on how to get photos more "real to life"?

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14 years ago

General

7 replies

Latest reply was from Cilleena

Aziraphale

Veteran

I'm no photographer, but I've noticed that pictures look better when the photographer crouches down and angles the camera upward. I'm not sure how low the camera has to be to get an accurate impression of the subject's real proportions though.

14 years ago

Jonesy

Veteran

I know lots of people will chime in, including Aida who wrote about this recently, with lots of different thoughts. From my perspective, I think since we tend to look at ourselves from a standing position, and look at others that way too, in order for the camera to mimic this "natural" eye level, it needs to be somewhat high (I do just below sternum level). If you are able to take shots with the camera a bit further away (e.g., outdoor shots that capture some of the surroundings), I think it makes less difference where the camera is positioned.

I should add that I absolutely HATE pictures of myself that are taken at close range, from a lower angle (e.g., crouched), because this approach gives people an automatic double chin if they are trying to look at the camera. My father in law does this all the time, and it drives me nuts. So, perhaps this bias is coming through when it comes to WIW pics too :).

14 years ago

(website)

Veteran

I put mine up on the breakfast bar/passthrough in the kitchen and I think my proportions look about right. That ends up being rib high or so on me and about 10 feet away.

EDIT: I did notice one of my boot pictures today, from low hip height, did make me look taller somehow.

14 years ago

Aida

Veteran

I wrote a bit about this here, in the note and then in more detail if you click the "more below" part. Let me know if you want more information about it

Separate from what I wrote about there, if you can zoom your camera in and take the photo from further, you'll get a more natural ratio (wider angled lenses, when the camera is fully zoomed out, will distort images a bit).

14 years ago

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

The pictures I take outside tend to look less distorted. I put the camera on the deck railing or sometimes on my car truck or roof. The indoor pictures are tricky. The only way I can get my whole body in a picture is with the camera in wide angle mode, then I crop the image in iPhoto. Thanks Aida for pointing out how this creates distortion. I've never thought to use the zoom feature, I will try that.

I know this isn't the subject of your thread, but I hope you don't mind me pointing out something about your outfit. Because your white top comes down to the top of your thighs, it gives the illusion that your legs start there. If you go for less color contrast, or tuck in the top, it will elongate the legs. Calf-height boots can also chop the legs, but I think it's the top that is giving most of the leg shortening illusion. Mono-tone colors will also help elongate the line and of course heels!

14 years ago

Kate

Veteran

I have nothing to add about camera techniques, but I want to echo what CocoLion said about this outfit shortening you. The white band at your hips really breaks up your outfit in the middle, and the light colored fleece on the boots further "chops up" your leg line. Finally, the way that the scarf works with the jacket (and the high contrast between the scarf and the turtleneck) breaks your top into 5 distinct white areas that gives the impression of you having a larger top half than you do.

I think that if you tried the same outfit with a lower contrast shirt and different (entirely dark) boots, even without changing the camera, you might get a picture that's more true to life.

14 years ago

Cilleena

Veteran

Thanks! I never thought about the chopped up line. Makes sense though. I think this is a "no-repeat" outfit.

14 years ago

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