One of the first things we were taught in the “olden days”, (when you actually had to learn something to be able to operate a camera) was the effect of lenses on an image. A wide angle lens increases the apparent distance between objects. A telephoto lens will flatten an image and decrease the apparent distance between objects.
Notice in the example below how the building in the background seems to move closer to the subject as the lens changes from wide angle to telephoto.
What’s this have to do with “Selfie Nose”?
According to a recent National Post article by Joseph Brean, it seems that nowadays people are going to plastic surgeons to have their noses altered because they think their nose is too big. This complaint is because of the huge proliferation of selfies. Why?
All smartphones have cameras with wide angle lenses. Selfies are always shot very close to the face. This makes noses (or anything else close to the camera – like foreheads) appear to be larger than they really are.
Here’s an example. Look at the difference between the photo on the left (wide angle) and the one on the right (telephoto).
The research from the article actually quantifies the effect, stating that typical selfies make a nose appear to be 30% larger than it is in reality.
When we shoot portraits either at the studio or on location, we always use a telephoto lens to minimize this ugly distortion.
Selfies are fun, but with all of the filters and lens distortion on smartphones these days, plastic surgeons are actually having to convince people that they look great and they don’t need a “nose job”. This effect has even prompted concerns about dysmorphia, a pathological dislike of one’s appearance.
Check out the full article HERE.
Need to update your image? Now is the time!
From now until April 15 take advantage of our Business Portrait Special
Have one Regular Price Business Portrait Session at the studio
and add additional people for 50% off the regular fee*
Call us at 613-283-2237 to book your appointment time
(it’s way easier to compare calendars on the phone, but you can email us too using the contact form)
* Regular Session fee is $125 +HST and includes one retouched digital portrait file suitable for printing. We also include the same file cropped square for immediate upload to Facebook/Linkedin profiles. Additional people must be done on the same day at the studio and will be billed at 50% off the regular price.
Got 4 or more staff who need new portraits. We’ll come to your office to do the photo session. Call for details.
