The camera really does add 10 pounds to you. I took plenty of photos of myself with my cell phone in the mirror. I compared the photos with what I saw of myself in the mirror and noticed a real difference. In the mirror, I looked more narrow, but in photos, I looked wider and more pudgy. I took many photos of my legs in the mirror and they looked shorter and wider in photos compared to the mirror, where they looked long and thin.
It appears that I'm about 2 inches narrower in real life than in photos. This is true of anyone, unless they are really skinny. Try testing this yourself in the mirror and you will see what I mean.
What this means is that I am BETTER looking in real life than in photos! Did you hear that Repatriate? My extensive testing today taking photos of myself in the mirror proves that. Anyone can replicate this.
This is a scientific fact and well documented. There are many articles about this online. Here are some:
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_ ... y_fat.html
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/rea ... ounds-plus
http://www.ehow.com/facts_5130763_camer ... ounds.html
How to look thinner in photos:
http://beauty.about.com/od/hairstylepho ... topose.htm
Secret No. 1: Turn partially sideways to the camera, planting one foot in front of the other. Point your toe to the camera and place your weight on your back foot.
Secret No. 2: Pull head forward slightly to minimize any appearance of a double chin.
Secret No. 3: Hold arms slightly away from your body. This keeps upper arm flab from flattening out and therefore appearing flabbier (much like thighs do when one sits on a couch).
Secret No. 4: Pull shoulders back, chest forward and gently suck stomach in. Be careful not to suck stomach so far in that your ribs show, thereby causing those who later see the photo to cluck to themselves in a bemused, sing-song voice, "She's sucking i-in."
Secret No. 5: If you can get away with it without looking like a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover Girl wannabe, try the look away trick. To do this, look away from the camera, then turn towards it, breaking into a smile just before the camera clicks. Your smile will appear fresh, not frozen. This trick takes practice behind closed, locked doors.
When taking a photo it's also important the photographer does not snap the picture from below. This adds another 20-50 pounds to the 10 pounds automatically and annoying added by the camera. Find out why cameras add 10 pounds in this article by Geek Sugar.