Photos

[Scrunchie-Bunchie]

Just a straw poll but (I'm in no position to do this as I don't own a studio).... looking at people's photos here, most seem to have been done with all-in-one compact digital cameras with basic domestic lighting.

How many people here would prefer to go to an understanding studio for glamorous photos?

[Tasha T]

Not me. I'm happy just keeping it simple and doing my own pictures at home. I'm less inhibited that way.

[Scrunchie-Bunchie]

Not me. I'm happy just keeping it simple and doing my own pictures at home. I'm less inhibited that way.

But if you publish to the web you could do as I do and mask the face. I notice many people don't mask their faces and wonder whether it's wise in a society that doesn't fully accept transvestism as normal.

[Tasha T]

But if you publish to the web you could do as I do and mask the face.

That's true, but how do you get to know someone better by seeing a picture of just their knee? In my pictures I am wearing a wig, makeup and women's clothing. I would be surprised if anyone could recognize me from them.

I notice many people don't mask their faces and wonder whether it's wise in a society that doesn't fully accept transvestism as normal.

I understand your concern. Anytime we post ANYTHING on the internet there is an element of risk involved. Whether or not you post a picture of your face, knee or nothing at all is your own personal decision. But keep in mind this is a website for crossdressers. It's supposed to be a safe place where we can come and share our pictures, stories, problems, tips or whatever. I am not worried about what the unapproving world thinks about me here.

[SandyR]

I love my Nikon and tripod. Works for me.

SandyR

[Eugenie]

I prefer simpler pictures which convey more of the personality of the person than sophisticated high quality photos.

Indeed, I take my pictures with a small digital camera, some of them just with my webcam and some even with a low quality cellephone camera...

I've see some that seem to have similar "low cost" camera sourcing. If the feelings are there, who cares about a slightly blured or underexposed image?


Eugenie

[Sally24]

I plan to get a photo shoot sometime with a studio photographer. Figure I'm not getting any younger so I should get some good quality poses to remember these times by.

I find that the quality of digital cameras that are new now is very good. Just as in recording sound you are usually limited by the mics, not the recorder. I find that the lighting is the more critical factor with taking pictures. I try to use difuse daylight or work with some different indoor lighting. Flash lighting is just not kind to anyone, even GGs.

[danam]

I was nervous about posting my face, then I took a walk outside and realized just how many people exist in this world, even in a small city, and then tried to comprehend just how statistically overwhelming it would be for someone to match my face with my pictures on this site. Has to be astronomical.

I have a decent digital SLR and a small digital camera, both fairly new. The small camera has a multi-shot self-timer feature that is very handy, so it actually gets used for CDing more than the SLR (which will only take one shot with the timer).

I don't so much want a studio, just someone else to hold the camera!! The self timer gets old fast!!

[CamillaCD]

I am with Danam here. The chances that one of my friends should pop in to this forum, find one of my postings, connect me to that person without the wig is, if not zero, pretty low.

I think it would be fun to have a makeup done by a pro and then doing a photosession. I would also settle for someone else holding the camera than a tripod though.

[Jillm]

I have been looking into a studio shoot. I found a studio a couple hours from my home that is for cders only. They can do a makeover and everything for you. I just haven’t had the extra money for it.
http://crossdressers-academy.hypermart.net/ . I’ll just settle for my plain ol digitals for now.

[Melinda G]

That's true, but how do you get to know someone better by seeing a picture of just their knee? In my pictures I am wearing a wig, makeup and women's clothing. I would be surprised if anyone could recognize me from them.

You'd never recognise me in drab.

[Toyah]

For me most profesional shoots tend to be a bit cloney I prefere to do em myself

[Karren H]

I enjoy taking my own pics.... may try a glam photo session some day....

[Alice B]

I've done both. My avitar is a shot I took at home, but recently had a complete makeover and photo session. It was a lot of fun, but something you have to be ready for to get the most bang for your buck. Self shots can be fun if you let yourself be creative and allow the camera to capture the real you, but simple point & shoots will severaly limit your choices.

[Veronica 1]

To spice up your simple point and shoot cameras, I have a solution. Get a couple of regular camera flashes and a couple of light operated slave units. The weak spot of point and shoots is that they do not have the flash power to grasp the scene. The slave units will fire the other flashes from the light that the point and shoot develops. You can play around and get studio quality photos from a simple point and shoot.

[Sheri 4242]

Just a straw poll but (I'm in no position to do this as I don't own a studio).... looking at people's photos here, most seem to have been done with all-in-one compact digital cameras with basic domestic lighting.

How many people here would prefer to go to an understanding studio for glamorous photos?

But if you publish to the web you could do as I do and mask the face. I notice many people don't mask their faces and wonder whether it's wise in a society that doesn't fully accept transvestism as normal.

1.) At first I was hesitant to put my photo on here, but I really don't worry about it anymore. To begin with, if you saw me in guy-mode and en femme, I seriously doubt you'd recognize me. Since my wife agrees, we both feel it is okay. That said, the odds of someone nefarious coming here -- and finding my photo -- are minimal IMHO. Additionally, most who come here are like-minded anyway, so I think a nefarious visitor is a low-odds situation. (And, I am from "small town" USA -- a redneck town at that. A town where I am very well known!!!)

All the above said, if it hapens it happens. Frankly, when I was in Las Vegas on "The Strip" in a wedding gown, I think there was, percentage wise, a better chance of running into someone who knows me -- and that was, IMO, also a low-odds situation!

2.) I like both professional and home photos. Different effects, different equipment, different outcome. The proofs from our vow renewal ceremony where I was the bride were professionally done. Yet, we're going to have them redone. Some were great, but some weren't -- like we didn't think about the fact that both my wife and I had on lipstick, so when we kissed the photos showed some natural smudging. The photographer should have caught this but didn't. So, we're going to have them retaken. Also, we're going to have a MAC SA do our makeup sometime soon and seek a different photographer for some shots. My current avatar photo is one my wife shot after our vow renewal ceremony. I had changed clothes (into something cooler) to go back to the hotel in, but my hair was mussed from the veil. Plus the heat was starting to play havoc with my makeup (the girl was slowly melting -- ). That said, my wife liked this photo b/c she felt it showed a casual moment where I was happy and my natural personality -- in her opinion -- showed through.

3.) My opinion: (a.) tell us where you are from (you don't have to say the city, just the state and/or country) b/c it is nice to know where everybody is from -- it is nice to know that in some instances I am talking to someone from my home state, or the next state down -- and it is nice to know that sometimes you're talking with someone in another country; and (b.) it IS nice to see who you are communicating with.

[Amanda Shaft]

I’m sure that a trip to a professional photographer would be great and produce some good images; however I like taking photos of me dressed! It’s fun and although I have to take 10 to get 1 decent one I get a real sense of achievement when one comes out well.
Amanda

[Wenda]

Well I only have a couple recent ones, but I like mostly having other people take the pics, I cant ever beat the timer

this is one from a costume party that me and my fiancee went to, LOL why post? just cause

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...s/DSC01096.jpg

OK, so, you're not the black girl, your avatar doesn't look like you are the full-figured girl, your avatar doesn't look like the pirate-dude in the purple shirt ... so .... that leaves the killer sexy babe in the shiny black outfit???? Really? If so, Wow! You should get pics taken every chance you get!!wenda

[kay_jessica]

But if you publish to the web you could do as I do and mask the face. I notice many people don't mask their faces and wonder whether it's wise in a society that doesn't fully accept transvestism as normal.

Hmm, Society won't accept our transisms unless we accept them. You will find that there is a full mix of girls with full profiles, profile pic and avatar, girls with pics that are NOT themselves, to pics of just knees or legs etc, or just simple cartoons. Those that post genuine pics are happy with them selves and if they are like me don't care less if some one recognises me, which I doubt. My own mother in law did not recognise me when I practically walked into her in Marks and Spencers.

Mine are me untouched by photoshop, straight from camera. They are a mix of self taken and taken by friends. My son is an amateur photographer and took a load with his new Nikon SLR but he tends to try to be be "arty". My avatar was taken by a good friend after a visit to a local night club so I'm not looking my best.

Besides, if someone I know came up to me and said "I saw your pic and so and so trany site", I'd turn round and say "oh and what is your femme name then or are you just a tranny admirer?" and leave it at that.....

[Wenda]

Before I got distracted by Cat's pics, I WAS going to say that a couple of years ago, when I was new to the site and just getting back into dressing, I was very guarded about my identity. After a couple of public appearances en femme, trimmed eyebrows, good nails, noticing girls' shoes, hair, pants, whatever, a few people have connected the dots. I like Kay's approach. If you are not CD, what are you doing lurking on this site??

[AmyH]

Like most of us, I prefer the do it yourself. All of my photos are with an 8 year old digital camera. My memory card is so old it only holds 16 photos at a time. And I use a $5 tripod. They both get the job done. But that being said, if I could afford it, I would mind a studio shoto. Having professional make-up, lighting, and photographer. Just my !

[Kim_Bitzflick]

I would! Do you know where one is close to Amarillo?

[Dee Talbot]

I don't care much for studio shots, and Barb REALLY hates them. I don't really feel that the personality of the subject can be caught as well in a studio. I prefer natural light shots in one of the various locations I have scouted in our area. So we use our digital cameras and have been more than satisfied with the results. It helps that I have a basic knowledge of photography and am a semi-professional photographer. And all of the photographers I know (I belong to photography communities both online and professionally) have gone to digital photography. It's much easier to get the perfect shot when you

A. aren't worried about the amount of film you are using

B. have immediate feedback via digital screen so that your subject can see and critique

C. have more options when it comes to enhancing, filtering, and correction (when photographing families with small children for example, I can take multiple pictures and then use Photoshop to pick the best expressions on the faces of the children. It's much easier than trying to get several children to all look forward and smile on cue)

I understand the allure of going in and having studio shots taken, just not my cup of tea...as a subject or photographer.

Dee

[SherriePall]

A couple of years ago I had a professional photo shoot done at a department store studio. The photographer lady didn't realize I wasn't who I was presenting (at least she never let on in any manner and she even fussed with my hair).

[paulaN]

A glamor shoot would be great. But I think I would rather save my money for a Makeover and have a friend take a bunch of pics after. If I could find a friend.