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Alfresco, thanks for the insightful post. I too have always wondered if the way mirrors are made could cause some distortion, but being an ex-photographer, I really noticed the lighting seems to be a culprit too. I just didn't think that it was as much of a factor, because most gyms have lighting that is evenly spread out.
In case anybody is really interested in this stuff . . .
Actually, it’s not really the mirrors that are responsible for the distortion, although ‘bad’ mirrors
can contribute. (FYI . . . the best mirrors, zero distortion and near 100% reflectivity, are beyond
expensive. They are used cinematographic and photographic and cannot be touched, are cleaned
by a spray-on cleaner, you get to peel the cleaner off.
) It is really the wide angle that usually comes
with your camera. (I have a camera in my phone and I have never used it, have no clue how to use it.
I do not have a ‘smart’ phone . . . my wife says I am too dump for a smart phone . . . haha)
Seriously . . . the wider the viewing angle, and the angle of lens (not parallel to the subject) and
being way too close are typically what is responsible for all distorted physique fotos / selfies we see.
And yes, lighting is a culprit too, flat or evenly spread out on the gym floor and in the bathroom
where so many selfies are made, not good. Overhead lightening, like through a skylight was the best.
That is why so many of the great physique photographs came out of the original Golds Gym in Venice
(on Pacific Ave.), CA. It had great beautiful lightening, both from overhead (think skylights) and
the west facing street windows provided just enough ‘fill’. Clearly the bodybuilders knew this,
would covet this light, and the photographers knew it, knew when and where to stand their
models to take advantage of that, so the magazines sent them there, with Artie Zeller probably
being the most famous.
More about distortion . . .
To remove distortion I would advise using a telephoto lens. Arguably, one of the most famous
physique photographs ever taken was a double front biceps pose of Sergio Oliva taken by Inge
Cook in DeLand, Florida in 1971. Sergio was being trained by Arthur Jones at the time and he attained
his all-time best shape and conditioning (because of Arthur) and is the only photograph I am aware of
where the width of the bodybuilders arms exceeds the height of his head.. Arthur knew this and
so did Sergio, and so did anybody else who was there and knew anything about bodybuilding
(I just missed seeing him). So Arthur arranged a foto session to record this. And Arthur knew a thing
or two about photography having designed a special motion picture camera mount and a custom,
one-of-a-kind anamorphic motion picture lens, that I later recovered for him and helped him sell;
so he did all the right things to accurately represent Sergio’s extraordinary physique at the time
and never to be exceeded, sadly.
The resulting black and white photograph taken by Inge with a Leicaflex 35mm SLR camera using a
telephoto lens from a distance of about 50 yards from Sergio. This was done to remove all distortion,
to separate, isolate, the subject from the environment. How do I know this? Because I owned this
camera and lens; it was a gift to me from Arthur after Inge (who he later married) passed away.
We had talked a lot about that time and that image, all of which I have on tape recored.
And for added prospective, another thing to think about is the photographs taken at contests and why
they are accurate a (aside from side-by-side comparison purposes) representation of a physique.
They are not taken close-up, from the stage; they are taken from the ‘pit’ or audience seating which
literally requires the use of a telephoto lens, which in effect, reduces distortion. Case in point.
Now do you get it?