Does being told you're photogenic mean that the person thinks your ugly in real life?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

just wondering...

― Robbie Lumsden (Wallace Stevens HQ), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 08:58 (twenty-two years ago)

no, it means they think you are attractive

― gareth (gareth), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:01 (twenty-two years ago)

but there's always that feeling that they're surprised by you looking at all good....

― Robbie Lumsden (Wallace Stevens HQ), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:02 (twenty-two years ago)

It's a terrific, ambiguous term.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:07 (twenty-two years ago)

(I'm sure it's usually used in a well-meaning way, but there are people who look better in photos than real life, and I'm sure they do get described as photogenic)

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:08 (twenty-two years ago)

'terrific' as in 'great' or 'terrific' as in 'terror-inducing'?

(or both?)

― caitlin (caitlin), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:08 (twenty-two years ago)

It means you give good photo.

OK, time to drone on about one of my kids again.

Amber has always been photogenic. She's a very pretty girl (objectively), and since babyhood has always given smiles for photos. Alice is more 'if i'm in the mood'.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:16 (twenty-two years ago)

...all i'm saying is that i bet really good looking people don't get told they're photogenic that often....

― Robbie Lumsden (Wallace Stevens HQ), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:20 (twenty-two years ago)

It depends on the photo.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:24 (twenty-two years ago)

...all i'm saying is that i bet really good looking people don't get told they're photogenic that often....
It's probably a slightly less creepy pick-up line than "You're really hot". It's a subtler way of telling someone that you find them physically attractive.

― Sym (shmuel), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah Robbie, I think you're wrong. Sometimes people say it when they're too shy too say "God, you're beautiful".

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:35 (twenty-two years ago)

how can asking a question be wrong?

i'm not convinced entirely either way.

fortunately i look as bad in photos as i do in real life, so it's not a majot concern of mine...

― Robbie Lumsden (Wallace Stevens HQ), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:36 (twenty-two years ago)

the situation you describe probably also happens. Have you been described as photogenic lately?

― Sym (shmuel), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:37 (twenty-two years ago)

right. So it's a question you're not concerned about. Glad to help.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:38 (twenty-two years ago)

gaaad....i'm hungover and at work....what do you want from me?

― Robbie Lumsden (Wallace Stevens HQ), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:39 (twenty-two years ago)

I think that's true if you're talking to someone you don't know N, but how often does someone you don't know see photos of you. Recently a friend of mine saw my driving licence, it was on the backseat of the car, and she said you take a very good photo and things.

I didn't for a second think she fancied me, nor do I. I looked at the photo then and thought yes it was a nice photo.

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I mean to me it's the same as when someone says "you're looking very well" or you say that.

Doesn't mean you fancy them.

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:40 (twenty-two years ago)

....ah but "you're looking very well" means you look fat...

― Robbie Lumsden (Wallace Stevens HQ), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Sometimes, the opposite is true - a good looking person doesn't photograph terribly well. Although, I guess it depends on the photographer really. One of my friends is very good looking but a camera never seems to capture her beauty, in fact, she sometimes looks downright plain in photos.

― penelope_111, Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Perhaps telling people they are photogenic means different things in different situations

― Sym (shmuel), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:46 (twenty-two years ago)

It isn't to do with whether or not you are attractive, it's all about whether photos of you come out well. If every single photo that has ever been taken of you is a good photo, then it is safe to assume that you are photogenic.

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:51 (twenty-two years ago)

it means they think you are attractive

Also, "you're not photogenic" means they think you are attractive. And they might be the only one & so be in with a chance.

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:51 (twenty-two years ago)

.. unless they say "You're not photogenic, are you?" and there's no photo.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:53 (twenty-two years ago)

how can asking a question be wrong?

I mean this was wrong, not the original question:

...all i'm saying is that i bet really good looking people don't get told they're photogenic that often....

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:55 (twenty-two years ago)

think that's true if you're talking to someone you don't know N, but how often does someone you don't know see photos of you.

No, with people who do know the person concerned too. They say things, on looking at a set of party photos like "God I hate you, you're so photogenic".

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 09:57 (twenty-two years ago)

...fair enough....

― Robbie Lumsden (Wallace Stevens HQ), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 10:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Ok fair enough, I seem to have mistaken someone thinking someone is beautiful with actually fancying them.

Perhaps fancying someone requires the fancyer to have a mind to act on their feelings? Or to feel they have a chance?

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 10:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, is the whole fancying/good-looking debate relevant here?

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 10:14 (twenty-two years ago)

It's the uber-debate surely.

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 10:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 12:06 (twenty-two years ago)

The last person who told me I was photogenic was Jerry The Nipper. I am afeared.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 12:14 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah, this is totally a passive-aggressive way of saying "you're hot"

― amateur!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 12:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Sometimes, the opposite is true - a good looking person doesn't photograph terribly well.

'Tis very true

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 12:27 (twenty-two years ago)

I hate it when people tell me I'm photogenic. I always interpret it to mean "You look attractive in pictures, but jesus in person you are UGGGGGG.."

― mandee, Tuesday, 27 April 2004 12:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Sometimes, the opposite is true - a good looking person doesn't photograph terribly well.

That always makes me wonder whether they are good-looking after all. Maybe I trust photos more than real life.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 12:29 (twenty-two years ago)

yes.

― Skottie, Tuesday, 27 April 2004 12:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Trust real life, photos lie

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 12:29 (twenty-two years ago)

If only I could Photoshop real life.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 12:30 (twenty-two years ago)

A common plaint

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 12:33 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't think it means youre especially ugly or especially pretty in real life. It means you look nice in pictures! Eyes open, nice smile, expression, &c. Nothing more, nothing less.

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Tuesday, 27 April 2004 12:33 (twenty-two years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.