Discerning "attractiveness" via photographs

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I love it!

Sometimes I think I get invited to wedding receptions only because I know how to do a little ballroom dancing.

angles and lighting can and do make a huge difference. But so long as they aren't being used as a way to hide something they aren't going to make you that different. I was debating posting two photos of myself as evidence, but basically both im decently dressed, same haircut and shave status, close angle. But one I actually have decent lighting and look noticeably better.

This. I think animated friendly faces are more attractive. I think videos are a much more accurate way of showing whether someone is attractive or not.

Images and videos still cannot show how good people are and how nice they behave in person.

And as a photographer, I really get that. There are certain angles and positions and settings that work for different body/face types. Photography has been around much longer than photoshop. It might be annoying and take longer to get the right shot, but the results are worth it.

I think you can only work that out after you've known them for a while in person.

Here is a photo taken of Goldie Hawn eating a hamburger when she was just 19:

Would you conclude she was attractive from having seen this one photo, or would you still need a F2F interview?

^ Either you or someone else has posted that photo before. I agree, Goldie Hawn was beautiful.

It was probably me. I am disgustingly heterosexual, which in today's world might actually make me a pervert.

I've never posted a current picture of myself, but here's a blurry one of me around 1978 I posted a few years back:



It would be interesting to see what some of us looked like when we were younger (hint! hint!).

43 years ago, blimey!

I dunno ... is there cheese on that hamburger?

I'm not really impressed of photos, or even quick video of people.

Some people might have a nice smile, or nice eyes, but I'm more interested in knowing which types of situations would make them smile, overall? What other types of expressions can they make, and when?

How do they look first thing in the morning, or when they're in different moods?

How do they move?

Seeing a brief or static example does nothing for me. I like to know the personality behind their expressions, the reason for their expressions, and the subtle information their mannerisms can relay.

No

It can serve as a good base though. Like whether or not you have a basic attraction but not much beyond that. Because there are just too many possible variables.

The first and biggest reason you can't putt too much stock in them though, is because of editing and filters. The other is due to staging (angles, lighting, poses, makeup). These days not too many people will share a photo that hasn't had some kind of alteration. Take a look at Instagram, where people use both of those things to their fullest.

Then you just have people that photo well and those that don't. Differences in cameras, settings, daylight, and so on

It safe to assume that normal nonceleb folks are slightly better looking in person than they look in the snap shots. Have heard that from others, and its kinda my experience.

I think in places like dating apps and social media, one's choice of photos can make more difference than their actual looks.