It’s common for people to feel like their face looks different in photos compared to real life. One of the most frequent complaints is that the face appears more oval or elongated in pictures. There are a few reasons why this oval distortion can occur when taking a photo.
Focal length of the camera lens
The focal length of the camera lens significantly impacts how the face is rendered in an image. Wider angle lenses (shorter focal lengths) tend to elongate and stretch the center portion of the frame. This is due to the wider field of view capturing more information towards the edges of the frame. As a result, features in the middle like the face get proportionally stretched into an oval shape.
Telephoto lenses (longer focal lengths) compress the perceived distance between objects in a scene. Facial features appear flattened and compacted towards the center of the frame, which can also cause an unnatural oval look.
| Focal Length | Distortion Effect on Face |
|---|---|
| Wide angle (shorter length) |
Elongation and stretching |
| Telephoto (longer length) |
Flattening and compacting |
Most smartphone cameras have a moderate wide angle lens, around 24-35mm in full frame equivalent focal length. This range elongates the center area of the image slightly, which is why faces can look oval and stretched.
Distance from camera
How close your face is to the camera also impacts facial distortion. When very close to the camera, even a moderate wide angle lens will stretch and widen the center area of the frame (your face). As you move further from the camera, this elongation effect is reduced.
A slight elongation of your face can be minimized by positioning yourself at least 5 feet away from the camera. Any closer may accentuate the oval look.
Angle relative to camera
The angle your face is positioned relative to the camera also matters. Facing the camera head-on minimizes distortion. But turning your face at an angle towards or away from the lens can accentuate an unnatural oval shape.
When your face is at an angle, one side becomes closer to the camera. This side appears wider and stretched, while the far side is narrowed. The result is an imbalanced, oval appearance.
To avoid this issue, keep your face pointed straight towards the lens as much as possible. Avoid tilting your head at an angle right or left.
Asymmetrical facial features
Natural asymmetries in facial structure and features can also contribute to an oval appearance in photos. Even slight differences between the two sides of your face may be exaggerated in images.
For example, if one of your eyes is slightly lower or your nose is off center, the camera has a flattening effect that amplifies the asymmetry. One side of your face will look widened or stretched compared to the other side, forming an oval shape.
There’s no way to completely correct for natural facial asymmetries. But you can try to angle yourself so that both sides align as evenly as possible towards the camera.
Distortion correction in smartphone cameras
To counteract wide angle lens distortion, many modern smartphone cameras apply distortion correction. This uses software to digitally squeeze and linearize the roundness and stretching caused by the wide angle lens.
However, the distortion correction algorithm may overcompensate, resulting in unnatural compression or flattening of facial features towards the center. This can give the appearance of an oval stretched face.
There’s no setting to disable this digital distortion correction in smartphone cameras. Using alternative lenses like a telephoto option on dual/triple lens phones may reduce this effect.
Lighting and shadows
The lighting and shadows on your face also influence whether your face looks oval. Harsh side lighting can cast shadows that hide definition along the face. Overhead lighting can flatten facial features.
Ideally, aim for diffuse, uniform lighting on your face. Avoid shadows or directional lighting hitting just one side.
Chin and jawline shape
Your natural chin and jawline shape can accentuate an oval look in photos. A pointier or narrower chin stretches out the lower face. A broad or wide jawline can make the sides of the face appear flattened.
There isn’t much you can do to counteract your natural bone structure. But you can try angling your face or using lighting to soften shadows to minimize the oval appearance.
Conclusion
In summary, the common reasons your face may look oval in photos include:
- Wide angle lens distortion
- Close distance to camera
- Angled face relative to lens
- Asymmetrical facial features
- Over-correction from camera software
- Harsh or uneven lighting and shadows
- Narrow chin or wide jawbone structure
By being mindful of camera distance, lighting, angles, and your positioning, you can minimize the oval distortion. Getting as close to an accurate representation of your face shape requires careful technique and practice.
Tips to make your face look less oval in pictures
Here are some tips to help make your face look less oval and more natural in photos:
- Position yourself at least 5 feet from the camera
- Face the camera straight on, avoid tilting your head
- Use diffuse, uniform lighting to avoid shadows
- Try turning your face slightly away from light source
- Take photos from a higher angle looking downwards
- Use apps to correct lens/perspective distortion
- Frame a wider shot so your face is smaller in the image
- Get closer and use a telephoto lens for compression
- Take more candid photos to have a relaxed natural expression
With practice, you’ll get better at posing and angling your face to minimize the oval distortion. Taking lots of photos allows you to review and improve your technique over time. Don’t zoom in too closely on images, since minor distortions are less visible when viewing the entire photo.
How your phone camera works
To understand why phone cameras can make your face look oval, it helps to know how the camera works:
Wide angle lenses
Phone cameras use wide angle lenses to fit more into the frame. A wider field of view makes objects in the center look stretched.
Short focal length
To keep phones thin, the lens focal length is short, usually around 4-6mm. This exaggerates the wide angle distortion effect.
Small image sensor
The smartphone image sensor is tiny, around 5-10mm across. This crops the image and magnifies any distortion.
Distortion correction
Software lens correction squeezes the roundness from wide angle lenses, but may over-flatten the image.
Close focus distance
Phone cameras focus very close, as little as 5cm away. Being too close worsens distortion.
Single lens
Unlike DSLRs, phones lack interchangeable lenses to choose different focal lengths.
Choosing the best phone camera settings
To get the most accurate face photos from your phone camera, adjust these key settings:
Distance
Stay at least 5 feet away from the camera to reduce distortion.
Zoom level
Use 2x to 5x zoom to simulate longer focal length compression.
Lens correction
Turn off digital distortion correction if possible.
Aspect ratio
Use 4:3 ratio for less stretching compared to 16:9 widescreen.
Focus
Manually focus on eyes to keep face sharp.
Exposure
Increase exposure to brighten shadows caused by lighting.
How to edit photos to make your face less oval
You can also use photo editing apps and software to make your face look less oval. Here are some editing techniques:
Perspective correction
Fix lens distortion by adjusting the perspective to stretch the edges of the image.
Warp tool
Locally squeeze and widen areas of the photo using a warp transform tool.
Crop in
Crop the image tighter to cut off distorted edges.
Narrow focus
Only sharpen the center area containing the face.
Aspect ratio change
Convert widescreen 16:9 shots to 4:3 to condense stretching.
Face smoothing
Subtle smoothing can ease harsh shadows caused by lighting.
Retouching
Retouch asymmetry by evening out uneven sides of the face.
How your face changes with age
As you age, your facial features and shape change, which also impacts how you look in photos. Common age-related changes include:
- Loss of collagen leads to looser, sagging skin
- Less definition around the jaw and chin area
- Thinner lips, longer nose, and longer ears as other features recede
- More wrinkles and folds around the mouth, eyes, and cheeks
- Hollowness under eyes and around cheeks from bone loss
- Grey and thinning hair or hair loss
These natural aging processes can exacerbate distortions like ovalization in photos. Loose, sagging skin and a narrower lower face stretch out the appearance of an oval shape.
As we age, using careful posture, lighting, and angles becomes even more important for flattering photographs. Look for ways to add fullness through makeup, hair volume, or by filling in facial hollowness optically with shading techniques.
Medical conditions that cause facial distortion
In some cases, medical conditions can also impact facial appearance and contribute to looking oval in photos. A few examples include:
Bell’s palsy
Facial paralysis on one side, causing asymmetry and distorted expressions.
TMJ disorders
Jaw inflammation or misalignment makes chewing difficult and alters face shape.
Dental issues
Missing, misaligned, or crooked teeth stretch the jaw into an unnatural position.
Facial trauma
Injuries like broken facial bones or damaged nerves affect symmetry and expressions.
Swollen sinuses
Sinus infections widen the upper face, while allergies can cause puffy distorted features.
Consulting a doctor or dentist can identify if any underlying medical or dental conditions are contributing to an abnormal ovalized appearance.
How makeup and hairstyling can minimize distortion
Carefully applied makeup and hairstyling techniques can help create the illusion of a more natural, evenly proportioned facial shape in photos.
Contouring
Use darker matte bronzers in hollows of cheek, temple, and jawline to add definition.
Highlighting
Brighter highlighters along the cheekbone, brow bone, and bridge of nose optically pull these areas forward.
Blush placement
Strategic blush higher on the cheeks rather than on the apple draws attention upwards.
Eye makeup
Brows framed with pencil and eye shadow properly angled and filled can balance the eyes.
Lip fullness
Use overlining, lip plumpers, and highlights to create the illusion of fullness and symmetry.
Hairstyling
Add volume at the crown, sides, and nape of the neck to widen and fill the upper face.
A professional makeup consultation can teach techniques customized for your unique facial proportions. YouTube tutorials are another great resource for learning to contour faces.
Plastic surgery procedures to change face shape
For those still unsatisfied with their oval face distortion in photos, plastic surgery can permanently alter face shape. Common options include:
Implants
Cheek, chin, and jaw implants change those proportions.
Injectable fillers
Hyaluronic acid fillers like Juvederm volumize lips, cheeks, temples.
Botox
Strategic botox to cheeks and jaw relaxes muscles for a slimming effect.
Fat grafting
Transferred fat injected to hollow areas plumps up the face.
Surgical reshaping
Surgeries like rhinoplasty, genioplasty, or orthognathic surgery modify structure.
However, surgical procedures carry risks like infection, scarring, nerve damage, and an unnatural look if overdone. Most plastic surgeons advise exhausting all other options before considering permanent surgical changes for minor cosmetic issues like ovalization in photographs.
Conclusion
Feeling like your face looks too oval in photos is common, but there are many techniques you can use for improvement. Positioning yourself properly relative to your camera, choosing the most flattering angles, applying skillful makeup, and minor editing tweaks can help reduce oval distortion.
In most cases, no dramatic measures are needed – just attention to small details and practice. Learning to embrace your natural facial features as they are is also important for confidence. The oval look in pictures is not as noticeable to others as it may seem to you.