" I can understand why those primitive desert people think a camera steals their soul. It is unnatural to see yourself from the outside. "
- Nigella Lawson

When someone takes a photograph of you, especially if it’s your first encounter with having your likeness captured, it can feel like a piece of yourself has been taken away, almost as though your essence or soul has been stolen. This sentiment reflects an ancient belief held by certain cultures that the act of capturing an image through photography could somehow extract a part of one's inner self.

Nigella Lawson’s statement delves deeper into the concept of identity and how it is perceived externally versus internally. She suggests that seeing oneself from another person’s perspective, as a photograph does, challenges our sense of reality about ourselves. It can be unsettling to witness your reflection through someone else’s eyes because it disrupts the private and intimate experience we have of ourselves. This quote also touches on the idea that photography captures more than just an image; it freezes a moment in time, and perhaps in doing so, it encapsulates a fleeting aspect of one's personality or mood.

Nigella Lawson is a renowned British food writer, television chef, and journalist known for her work across various media platforms. She has authored numerous cookbooks and hosted several cooking shows that have earned her a significant following worldwide. Her insights often blend culinary expertise with personal anecdotes and observations about life, making her reflections on topics like the one mentioned above both thought-provoking and relatable to her audience.