Why is the Left Angle More Popular for Selfies? Here's the Explanation

KOMPAS.com – Have you ever felt more confident when taking a photo of the left side of your face? You are not alone. Many people tend to choose the left angle when taking selfies because it is considered more photogenic. This phenomenon is actually related to how the brain works, emotional expression, and human visual perception of faces. The left angle is the position when the left side of the face is more dominant facing the camera. Usually, the head is slightly rotated or tilted so that the left cheek is more visible than the right side. In portrait photography, the angle of the shot greatly determines the visual character. Certain angles can make the face look softer, firmer, or more dramatic. Therefore, many people experiment to find their best side. In a study published in the journal Experimental Brain Research in 2012, researchers analyzed thousands of portraits on various platforms. The results showed that people significantly more often display the left side of their face in profile photos. Researchers concluded that the left side of the face tends to display emotions more strongly and more authentically. This finding is in line with the theory of neuropsychology, which states that emotional expressions are more controlled by the right hemisphere of the brain, which controls the left side of the body and face. Because emotional activity is more dominant in this hemisphere, the left side of the face is considered more expressive when someone smiles or shows certain feelings. The human face is not completely symmetrical. Small differences in the eyebrows, eyes, or jawline can make one side look more proportional. Several studies of perceptual psychology show that humans are very sensitive to facial asymmetry.