micechasekittens wrote:I hate my smile. Some people say it is nice, but it is this conniving, half smirk like I had just slipped poison into someone's wine glass. I may share a lot with Hanako, but not her cute smile. Growing up, they tried to force me to smile and I never could. I try to smile in the mirror but it looks so fake.
What really makes a smile look genuine isn't your mouth; it's your eyes. For photos, try laughing a little instead of smiling. Take it from another non-photogenic person: this helps.
If you want me to be completely honest, in that photo you do look plain, but it's also not a very flattering photo. It looks like you were trying to take an action shot and use it as a portrait, and nobody looks as good in action shots as they do in portraits. In your particular case, the flash is too bright for your skin tone, and it's also off-center: this creates a lot of shadows that make you look much more angular. Natural light would suit you better, and real life is full of the stuff. I can't say much more about your looks without actually seeing you, of course, but I can tell enough to know that that photo is selling you short: contrary to popular belief, the camera can lie.Thanks for encouragement, though I know I look boring and plain.
You said that you worry about your nose, but I have an idea that should be cheaper than rhinoplasty (and more easily undone, if you decide you don't like it). I notice that you keep your bangs long, cut in a straight line close to your eyes. Have you ever considered wearing your hair more swept back, off the forehead? This wouldn't actually change the size and shape of your nose, but if more of your face is visible then your nose won't dominate it as much. That makes a real difference.