Documenting your transition? Progress pictures? Yay or nay?

[Summerlithi]

I read about people who document their transition progress, taking daily or weekly photos. The idea being it’s hard to notice small changes over time unless you have before pictures as proof.
 

I haven’t taken a picture of myself in over ten years and really don’t like the idea of starting now, or having to look at them later. At the same time I worry I will get discouraged if I don’t notice changes because they happen slowly.

 

What do? Is anyone here doing progress pictures? Even just before and after at different milestones?

[Charlize]

I was on a Zoom meeting a bit ago with a group of trans friends.  One was another Aussie.  He is FTM and i hadn't seen him for several months.  Wow had his voice changed.  I think we often get hung up on the speed of change.  Transition is a great deal like puberty.  It takes time.  Some of seem to change overnight but to a great extent the process lasts for years, slowly evolving.

I know i see that as my grandchildren grow.  I can't say i saw it in myself but somehow it has.  Perhaps that could be caught in photos but we can live itv as well.

 

Hugs,

 

Charlize

[Jackie C.]

3 hours ago, Summerlithi said:

What do? Is anyone here doing progress pictures? Even just before and after at different milestones?

 

I started to, but dropped it in less than a year. It just didn't seem like a big deal.

 

I take pictures of myself now, but I'm happy with myself now and I think that makes the difference.

 

Hugs!

[Katie M]

I don't plan to take progress pictures...just pictures of significant points in my life with family and friends (you know, just normal stuff)!

[Ivy]

I've journaled a bit at times.  But any pix are just what happened in every day life.  Although I am "out" full-time, it's mostly an internal thing for me.  

[Kelly2509]

I have been doing monthly measurements and pictures since I started GAHT.  I tried weekly for a little bit but it was a lot of hassle for very little validation.  Honestly monthly has felt like a bit too often at times as things just don't change all that quickly.  I do journal, but that is more of a self-care/therapy thing than actual documentation.  It can be interesting to go back through and see how I was feeling or what I was thinking at various points along the way though.

[DeeDee]

@Summerlithi I blog almost weekly, and sometime include pictures if they are relevant. For me it has been useful to have somewhere to sort through my thoughts and feelings and while part of me likes the whole, "a year, day by day" photo slideshows I think that realistically the pictures are more about learning to express myself and actually open my life up then to show any actual physical changes. I can imagine a 3-5 year montage being more useful in showing physical changes, but I'm barely organised enough to know what day it is, let alone stand in the same place, at the same time, in the same outfit every day to get a genuine comparison. Whatever you do, just make sure you do it because it helps you in some way  

[Susan R]

15 hours ago, Summerlithi said:

I haven’t taken a picture of myself in over ten years…

 

Is anyone here doing progress pictures? Even just before and after at different milestones?

Like you, I did not like having my picture taken at all when I was pre-transition. The thought of presenting as a man was almost repulsive to me. I had to hunt for the dozen or so pics that exist of me between the ages of 40-56.

 

I believe in my case documenting my transition was helpful. I document my journey very much like @DeeDee through my blog here and I document my transition pics here also in my profile here. As time moves along and transition issues are further are far between, I find I don’t feel the need to update so often. It has helped me see changes along the way and understand myself a little better so for me it’s been very worthwhile.

 

Susan R🌷

[Jani]

When I started this journey I took photos so I could see the changes.  I also kept a digital diary of sorts that I would write in whenever I needed too.  Some days it was multiple times.  I haven't done either for quite some time now.  I think it was good to do as it helped me with my emotions which were pretty raw at the time.  

 

Jani

[Kathy2020]

I personally don't like the idea of documenting myself like a test subject in some lab experiment probably because I get enough scrutiny like that from my health care team. When I put it in the context of something else, though, I usually end up with a pretty good line of documentation. For instance, I feel compelled to take a selfie when I'm having a good hair day! Whether its a little self love or saving an image so I don't forget what I did, I usually end up with a good timeline of pictures. And looking back at them, I can say like everyone else, "Wow, I have come a long, long way!" 🙂

[Katie M]

5 hours ago, Kathy2020 said:

I feel compelled to take a selfie when I'm having a good hair day! Whether its a little self love or saving an image so I don't forget what I did, I usually end up with a good timeline of pictures. And looking back at them, I can say like everyone else, "Wow, I have come a long, long way!" 🙂

Exactly the same for me, @Kathy2020!

[Jamie68]

I take very few pictures of myself. Mostly, I just did new clothes and Once in a while of my breasts hoping to see growth. I've taken a few down below to document electrolysis progress. Thank goodness for the "Secure Folder" in my phone. Even though the pics are months apart, It's SO depressing. 🤔

[MirandaB]

Another voice chiming in saying couldn't really stand the 'before' pics but starting to like the 'during' pics. 

[JustineM]

I started off taking weekly photos, then dropped to monthly, then just meh whenever lol. I have a private album on Facebook that I put them in. I want to be able to track the changes but like others have said I don’t particularly like taking my picture. 

[Jamieleann]

On 2/23/2022 at 4:28 AM, Summerlithi said:

I read about people who document their transition progress, taking daily or weekly photos. The idea being it’s hard to notice small changes over time unless you have before pictures as proof.
 

I haven’t taken a picture of myself in over ten years and really don’t like the idea of starting now, or having to look at them later. At the same time I worry I will get discouraged if I don’t notice changes because they happen slowly.

 

What do? Is anyone here doing progress pictures? Even just before and after at different milestones?

I think that’s a great idea I started about a year ago and I didn’t think I had changed that much but I have I try to make it fun like A photo shoot after I put my makeup on