Even More Pictures And Stuff.

[Guest Quinn]

Well, hey. I think I'm easily one of the guys most obsessed with their own face here (xD kidding...maybe...) so I've come back with two recent pictures, both from day 1 and day 2 of the 365 day picture challenge (you take one picture of yourself per day for a year.)

That's Day 1...my hair has gotten longer.

And Day 2, which was today. This one makes me chuckle...basically, it has been raining so much lately...so today when it didn't rain, I wanted to demonstrate my surprise.

In other news...it feels like my 18th birthday is fast approaching even though it's October 31st. I'm not sure whether I'm happy or terrified. Being 18 means I could legally change my name, start saving up to push everything into motion...but it also means that I'd have to finally man up and come out to a lot more people, not to mention re-come out to a few, too, seeing as my parents tend to never mention it.

I don't know...I feel like I'm at the chopping block, square one again. Is there a right time to do any of this? I've even considered changing my name and just not telling my family, only new people I meet or whatnot. Should I wait until I'm older and have a place of my own? So many questions, heh. I dunno, just apprehensive, I suppose. I'm so eager to get everything into motion as soon as I possibly can...but I'm scared, too. Ah well.

No other real updates going around here; hope everyone's summers are going well.

[Guest Zabrak]

Wow, Quinn, I love your photos. I can do great arty stuff but I suck at taking pictures. You've got funny ideas - I love the rain one. By the way...to me you already pass 100%...you don't have that female face at all! Is that really you?...or some actor from a movie?! LIES! lol

As for comming out, it really is up to you and what you feel best with. I cannot really tell you whens the best time...but for me I started in stealth. Booking and going to appointments and getting the ball rolling. I didn't fully come out to family/friends till after I started hormones. I think I only came out to my boyfriend and grandmother before hormones. The rest came after and some family didn't know till after I moved out.

I did it all alone...and I made it. It just took A LOT of time, effort and support of Laura's.

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

Quinn, your pics are always really good. Thanks for sharing!

I'm with Zab, if you really are serious about transition, you'll be able to do it on your own. It's a little harder here in the US because stuff is so expensive, but it's not impossible.

There really isn't a "right time" for transition, but I think there are times that are better. College seems to be a pretty decent time. I'm transitioning in grad school, which is okay but not great. I think things are easier if you start your first "real job" presenting as male, but I also think that you should go at the pace that works for you. Transition isn't a one size fits all deal.

Waiting until you are older has good and bad aspects. In my case, I guess I'm "older". Things were a little easier because I have money of my own and no one tells me what to spend it on. Even if my parents had been like "don't transition", there wasn't any way they could have stopped me. On the other hand, I think things are more socially complicated if you are older. If you don't think your parents will be supportive, it probably is better to at least wait until you are out of the house. If you are heading off to college, that's probably good enough. Parents start treating you differently when you don't live with them anymore.

Coming out is a complicated and ongoing process. Even though I am out to most of my family, am on T, and have had top surgery, they still don't bring it up with me. They often act like nothing has happened and don't use correct pronouns. With some kinds of parents you pretty much have to show them concrete evidence that you are serious before they'll even pay attention to what you've said.

You'll probably need to have several conversations with your parents before the idea sinks in. Are your parents generally against the idea of transitioning?

[Guest leo]

being 18 means u can make more decisions but dont mean u gotta rush anything

take your time and enjoy your transition

loving the nice pics awsum

[Guest Quinn]

xD Glad you like the pictures. As an aspiring photographer, I tend to mess around with them a lot, haha.

But yeah, I know there's no real set "time" to do anything. It's not like your calendar randomly selects the prime date for you. My dad is completely 100% against transitioning...my mom? I dunno. I don't think she likes it at all, but she's more openminded than my dad is. She's more willing to start our relationship over, which she thinks it would call for if I go through with transitioning. My main fear are my brother-in-laws. Even if I can get my 5 sisters to understand me (which I can see getting 2 of them too...the other 3 might not understand) it will be near impossible to get those guys to 'deal' with it...and that matters to me only because I have 7 nieces and nephews who I adore more than anything. I really don't want to have to lose them...still, I know it could happen, and...it won't stop me.

I think I may get my name and things changed when I'm 18, but keep it hush hush. Then it's a matter of getting a steady job and saving up money...hopefully getting a place, then therapy...yeah. I'm excited. I think I'll be more quiet about it and not say much until I'm looking at hormones in the near future, that way I'm not as paranoid and I'll already be a lot more sturdy in my situation. It's kind of cool, to realize life's suddenly unfolding before you. Scary as hell though, I must say.

Aw well...to lighten the mood, here's my Day 3 picture xD

[Guest Mr.Yoav]

Dude, your pics are awesome.

[Guest Oli]

I really love your pictures. (I'm hoping to acquire photo skills as such.) You are quite adorable. (:

[Guest Quinn]

Dude, your pics are awesome.

Hah, thanks man. I try, I try. I'm already running out of self-portrait ideas, but the past couple of days have been fun. Thank you again!

I really love your pictures. (I'm hoping to acquire photo skills as such.) You are quite adorable. (:

Why thank you very much, on both accounts, heh. Photography is awesome, so obviously as a photographer myself I'm gonna encourage anyone looking in that direction. It's quite fun, hobby or serious-wise.

[Guest Joe Cool]

Hey Quinn,

Your pics are great and you pass 100% I love the rain pics. I feel like we have been drowning in MA. I feel like I need to wear water wings when I leave the house for my own protection

You need to feel secure in your relationships and how they will respond to you. You absolutely can transition on your own at 18. It is always hard to think about family not accepting us, especially when there are young children involved that we love to pieces. Once you start to transition and physically change with hormones, if you choose to go on them, and legally change your name it is difficult to keep that from your family. If you changed your name and were still living with your parents and you didn't tell them - things like mail in your legal name or phone calls would eventually raise questions. If you didn't live with them you can keep that more private but if you are close to them then the same reasons could trip you up - your name on mail, mailbox, answering machine, or if they were your emergency contact for anything or if you were hurt and they needed to go to the hospital to see you then they would need to know yur nameto find you and be allowed to visit. It is very complicated. You need to do what feels right for you. I hope your family comes around and your parents realize what a talented son they have!

Joe

[Guest androgynous]

Wow you got some really good talent photographing, seems like you got your own style down. I'm still learning photographing, it goes slow. but I hope to take pictures like your picture quality one day, that would be awesome.

[Guest NeverSayNever]

Your pictures are amazing. I'm jealous

[Guest Quinn]

Hey Quinn,

Your pics are great and you pass 100% I love the rain pics. I feel like we have been drowning in MA. I feel like I need to wear water wings when I leave the house for my own protection

Oh man, isn't that the truth, haha. Well, today we've gotten a bit of sun, even yesterday wasn't too bad, but...oh, MA. It's dedicated to becoming the next Atlantis, I tell yah.

Thanks though, for both liking the pics and the other advice you gave. You definitely bring up a good few points; food for thought I'll be keeping in mind for the future.

Wow you got some really good talent photographing, seems like you got your own style down. I'm still learning photographing, it goes slow. but I hope to take pictures like your picture quality one day, that would be awesome.

Heh, thank you very much. You're right, it's a slow process - I've been into it for over four years now, and I still have a long way to go. Good luck with your photography!

Oh and I swear I'll stop posting pictures here xD My flickr is here for anyone who does want to see my 365 days pictures, but I just tried cloning for the first time today, so I wanted to show my results. x3

[Guest NeverSayNever]

That looks awesome!

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

That's a really cool picture! How did you do that?

[Guest Quinn]

That looks awesome!

Why thank you! :3

That's a really cool picture! How did you do that?

Heh, thanks. Well, I set up my tripod, just so that my camera would stay in the same position.

Then I took five different pictures, one for each of the "me's" you see.

Then I went into GIMP, my editing stuff, and uploaded all the pictures. I would copy and paste one over the other, making two layers. Then I'd erase part of the top layer so that the me's in the layers underneath could show through.

xD Hopefully that made sense.

[Sally]

Very nice work Quinn.

And you are looking good yourself.

I like the imaginative imaging.

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest Quinn]

Very nice work Quinn.

And you are looking good yourself.

I like the imaginative imaging.

Love ya,

Sally

Thank you very much, Sally - seeing as you're the professional photographer around here, that certainly means a lot to me.

[Guest Charlene_Leona]

Oh man, isn't that the truth, haha. Well, today we've gotten a bit of sun, even yesterday wasn't too bad, but...oh, MA. It's dedicated to becoming the next Atlantis, I tell yah.

Thanks though, for both liking the pics and the other advice you gave. You definitely bring up a good few points; food for thought I'll be keeping in mind for the future.

Heh, thank you very much. You're right, it's a slow process - I've been into it for over four years now, and I still have a long way to go. Good luck with your photography!

Oh and I swear I'll stop posting pictures here xD My flickr is here for anyone who does want to see my 365 days pictures, but I just tried cloning for the first time today, so I wanted to show my results. x3

Hey dude I really like your photography and thats coming fro a professional Photographer with 32 years behind the lens. Keep up the good work you will just keep getting better.

[Guest Quinn]

Hey dude I really like your photography and thats coming fro a professional Photographer with 32 years behind the lens. Keep up the good work you will just keep getting better.

Wow, 32 years! That's brilliant, and quite the compliment. Thank you very, very much.

You're all so awesome, heh.

[Guest Pól]

I like your day 6 pic on your flickr -- it made me smile. You have a real knack for making your pictures whimsical.

[Guest leo]

what happened to day 4?!!!

you pics are off the chain you are very creative and talented

totally pass 100%

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

Dude, I checked out your Flickr. Nice pics! The day 4 one was nifty!

[Guest Zabrak]

LOL

The clonning one rocked.

[Guest Quinn]

I like your day 6 pic on your flickr -- it made me smile. You have a real knack for making your pictures whimsical.

Heh, thank you; day 6 grew on me, too. I'm glad that the lightheartedness comes across in them when I intend it to - I like trying to put my sense of humor into things if I can.

what happened to day 4?!!!

you pics are off the chain you are very creative and talented

totally pass 100%

Day four is right here, my friend!

And thank you very much. It's great enough to know that people think I pass, even better to know I can make something they like looking at while doing it. Heh.

Dude, I checked out your Flickr. Nice pics! The day 4 one was nifty!

Thank you very much! Day 4 was actually my lazy day one xD But I do love that hat...

LOL

The clonning one rocked.

Haha, thank you. Which one, the one with the rocks or this one?

Also, for anyone else interested, the pictures I haven't posted:

Day Four.

Day Six.

And today, day 7. Yes, I climbed onto my porch's roof. x3

Thank you all again for the compliments, it's really amazing to hear all this, thank you so much.

[Guest NicolaiAE]

Dude! All of your photo's rock! My mom's a professional photographer and you kick her bottom!

GIMP FTW!! I can only do basic stuff right now. As for the right time? Its when you feel you are ready!

-Nicolai