What Works for Me – A Committed MTF Crossdresser
Nora Simone
Are you satisfied with your female image in photographs? If you’re like me, a committed MTF crossdresser (CD), the answer is No!
As a CD who cares about my image, I understand. Photos of my experiences as Nora are priceless mementos of rare blissful times. Unfortunately, photos often did not accurately capture how I felt and looked (gorgeous of course!).
For many years, it seemed only about one in a hundred photos were good enough to keep (i.e. keepers). This frustration, shared by real and virtual friends, led me to develop some posing tips for improved photos and memories. These have worked for me so I thought others would like to know about them.
Please understand, I am no supermodel. Unlike naturally beautiful CDs whose photos always look great, I need all the help I can get. At 6 ft. tall without heels, and having an athletic inverted “V” male body shape (i.e. broad shoulders, no hips), being mature (i.e. old), and weighing too much, I hope readers appreciate the challenge and can relate to my situation. I can’t be the only not-so-skinny CD who wants to look pretty, can I?
If these posing tips helped me look naturally female, it’s likely they should help others. In fact, these tips should be useful for any woman who wants to look more naturally feminine, relaxed, and pleasant in still photographs – from professional photoshoots to “selfies.”
Focus on Posing
The focus of this article is centered on posing. By “posing” I mean assuming a particular attitude, position, or stance for a photo. It’s important to understand that to capture great photos, I also ensure appropriate hair (or lack thereof), padding and cinching, wardrobe, accessories, and makeup. These added elements are critically important for achieving a convincingly female look.
Manage Expectations
Its best to start with low expectations because when it comes to photographs, that is reality for most of us. Normal people simply do not photograph well naturally. Even with a professional photographer, ideal lighting, background, and you looking your very best – relatively few images will be “great”.
A photographer friend, Cassandra Storm, reviewed this article and reminded me of another key point. I am my own worst critic! Perhaps most of us are. So, in addition to managing your expectations, make sure you get feedback from others as you may be surprised. For example, one photo I thought average surprised me by rocketing to my most commented on and among the most fav’d images in my Flickr stream. It’s not among my favorites at all! What? Why?
With my experience shared in this article and your patient practice, the number of your “keeper” images should increase as well as your confidence.
Have a Reasonable Goal
Everyone should have at least one “standing’ and one “sitting” pose you can reliably “snap to” when the occasion arises. With them, you will always be prepared for social scenes and selfies.
Limitations
The advice provided in this article is based upon techniques that have been useful to me. These are not necessarily universal fixes. The more you look like me physically, the more likely the tips will be useful for you. Regardless, I hope you find my experience useful as a starting point and feel encouraged to experiment on your own. Successful posing ultimately is about what makes you happy with the results. It’s not the same for everyone.
More tomorrow………
About Nora
Nora Simone is a member of the Vanity Club (633) who seeks to make a respectful authentic female presentation. She welcomes feedback on this article by writing (norasimone@yahoo.com) and her Flickr photo stream (https://www.flickr.com/photos/norasim1/).
