Why do cleft lips appear more prominent in photographs?

Question

It seems that whenever I look in the mirror, I can barely see my cleft lip. But when I see myself in photographs, my cleft lip is very pronounced and the nostril seems to flare out much more than when I look at myself in the mirror. I really hope I don't look like this in real life :(

Answer 1

I noticed this with my son, who has a cleft lip.  It seems to be the angle more than anything.  And you will notice it a lot more than others, and be a lot more critical of photos than when you look in the mirror.  I don't know many people who like their own photo - they always see the "worst" in themselves!

Cleft surgery is so great, that what is a teeny tiny scar to others may seem more obvious to you - but I'll bet a lot of people don't even realise you had a cleft.  :)

Answer 2

Well, it probably has something to do with the lighting and shadows in photographs. In real life it probably looks completely different. Pictures just capture a split second in time, this is why pictures rarely capture how someone looks in real life. I wouldn't worry about it.