I also hate having my picture taken and always try to be photographed as part of a group (and in the back!). I guess that's why I took up photography as a hobby - I can be behind the camera .
However, when I decided to do this properly, I bit the sour apple and took my picture with the self-timer - in underwear! I printed it out and glued it in my food journal next to my original weigh-in and measurements. I almost can't bear to look at it but I am already excited to see the difference in a few months . For a short moment I was tempted to keep a small version of the pic in my wallet - just in case I was getting chocolate cravings at the store, but the thought that I might LOSE my wallet and someone else would have to see the picture kept me from doing it . Still, it can also be a motivator to never go back to "this".

Annie, if you need any more encouragement to take the pictures, on top of what's already offered, then I'm offering it now.

I don't own a camera -- my phone is the opposite of a smartphone, I guess a stupid phone? -- and am almost completely ignorant of the current computer/photography interface that the rest of the world has grown completely comfortable with. I don't believe that's diminished my enjoyment of my weight loss, since I appreciate it nearly every hour of the day, in so very many ways. But I do believe it's contributed toward my lag in accepting my new body as reality & adapting to my changed appearance. I am overly fascinated by photographs that friends & family take of me now -- in a way that's not socially acceptable, as people think you're a narcissist when you stare at yourself that long -- because I'm trying to create an accurate image of myself in my mind that will overlay the old inaccurate one. Also, it's what's keeping me from writing one of those triumphant, inspirational, I-made-my-goal-and-here's-how-and-you-can-too posts that others have put up here on 3FC and which I so much enjoy reading. And yeah, I wanna to get to write one of those too. But they mean much more with the before & after photos. You are going to want to do that, too. You definitely will want pictures in yours.

I wouldn't hesitate to ask people for "before" pictures. I think nearly everyone understands the before/after picture thing, since it's so ingrained in our culture for weight loss ads & makeovers & etc. Having seen that trope over & over, they certainly will comprehend why you may want to see that documentation of your own transformation.

I did take *some* before pictures but honestly, if I never needed any, I could just ask my friends--they have tons of pics of me at high weights.

I don't really mind being in pictures as long as I don't have to see them afterwards and, most importantly, they are NOT TAGGED ON FACEBOOK.


God, I hate that tagging feature. I wish they would do away with it. You have to approve everything else on FB--friend requests applications, groups, why not pictures????

I think this website is pretty neat- mybodygallery .com
(sorry it wouldn't let me post the link)

you can post pictures of yourself at different weights (and black out the face). I find it really interesting to see how different people hold their weight, so you contribute to that, and you can always look back at your own pictures and know it's you

I tried taking some photos of myself last week and was not happy with the result. Bad angle, lighting, etc. I also thought my face looked too gaunt in some of them. Here is one that my younger son took over the weekend. I will post the pic that I refer to as my "before" with it.

Dec. 2009-Before


Oct. 2010-Almost there...

wow, those 40 pounds definitely made a difference, I can tell you've been working hard. Good Job!

Thanks so much, Atreyyena! I think changing my hair made a big difference, too.

I have been taking photos at the beginning of each month--whether I lose or not.


Its very motivating to see NO change if you haven't been working. To get a better picture, you have to do the work. And just seeing the same number on the scale isn't enough. Thats more like data at this point.

But a picture doesn't lie. And I need truth in my life!


That said, only one person has seen my photos. And she BETTER not be sharing!