25 Jan 2005 | Michel Christensen said...

I guess it has something to do with, that you don't want to exude that you like yourself. When I think about it, I rarely smile, even if other people are shooting a photo of me.

25 Jan 2005 | gloomy said...

Seriously, what is there to smile about?

25 Jan 2005 | Paul Ingram said...

Not smiling is the "new" smile :-|

25 Jan 2005 | Lalitree said...

I'm thinking it has more to do with how, when someone takes a pic of you, you're often asked to smile, or do so out of a feeling of obligation and tradition, whereas when you do a self-portrait you sorta feel dumb smiling to nobody.

That, or people just like the sexy pouting look for self-portraits. :)

25 Jan 2005 | David E. said...

When someone is taking your picture, you are smiling at them, but you are also allowing them to have an image of yourself. I think there is some practical understanding that a smiling photo usually looks good and is difficult to misuse. That's why famous people in deep trouble smile on the courthouse steps.

When you are taking a photo of yourself, there is the ridiculous moment of smiling at your own arm, but there is also the safety of owning the image. If I dont like it, Ill get rid of it.

25 Jan 2005 | David E. said...

Plus, I just want to see what I look like. I don't think people smile at their own cameras any more than they smile at mirrors.

Ok, now Im really done.

25 Jan 2005 | Arne Gleason said...

This recalls a memory for me from long ago. In a high school art class we had a self-portrait assignment. I drew myself an overly-flattering portrait and thought it was pretty much top notch after looking at some of the stuff others were doing. Then I saw another classmates portrait that made me think again. It was a great likeness, but most notable was its large and completely genuine ear-to-ear grin. I was completely flabbergast How could I have missed this point? I thought. How much more it looked like her than if it had the expressionless stare of my attempt. I felt that hers really was a portrait and minewasnt. Live and learn.

26 Jan 2005 | stp said...

Taking pictures requires concentration. People don't smile when they are concentrating. Unless, of course, they are concentrating on smiling.

26 Jan 2005 | Mark m said...

Two other considerations:

1) there are lots of folks who don't like their own smiles (so, self-consciousness)

2) having someone else to smile at helps; a smile aid, if you will.

26 Jan 2005 | beto said...

I guess this smiling phobia is akin to that of people listening to their own recorded voice. Most think their recorded voice sounds like crap. I certainly am one of those.

26 Jan 2005 | Don Schenck said...

Women are constantly asking me if they can take a picture of me.

*sigh* Being gorgeous does have a down side. *COUGH*

27 Jan 2005 | Jeff Werner said...

Was just reading Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud and he talks about "non-visual self awareness," especially as it relates to the face. Although we don't see our own face, when we interact with others we have a certain perception of what we look like, what we want to project, and how we think others see us, so often we'll smile to reinforce our own self awareness. Perhaps self-portraits don't need this reinforcement--you're less concious of how you appear to others.

I recently tired to do both [flickr photo] in a self-portrait.

29 Jan 2005 | D.Bogus said...

If you are really looking at yourself in the mirror... and I mean really looking... the structure of your face... the way light breaks across the facets of your face... to me it much like looking at photos from the Mars rover... alien and extra-terrestrial. It's fun think that I'm behind there.

I guess for me it's about trying to grasp that I am not only a mental being of thoughts, dreams, emotions.... self-awareness... but also a walking physical object. When I snap a picture of myself... I'm looking at the physical part... and trying to see how the 'I' fits inside my body.

Oh, and if you every try drawing a self-portrait... try and see how long you can hold a convincing smile before it starts looking forced and strained.

(I think Scott McCloud is right on target)

31 Jan 2005 | h said...

I'd say it's because people have to be told to smile in most photos. A self-portrait removes the usual 'script' so to speak, people become aware that a smile would be fake. So they don't do it.