Post your Good Lighting / Bad Lighting photos
kpcwkpcwkpcw
Posts: 8 Member
I thought it might be useful to start a thread to show just how different our success stories come across depending on the lighting.
I was motivated by so many of the amazing stories here, but sometimes I also got really disheartened - when you catch yourself in bad lighting you can think you're a million miles away from where you want to be, especially since we tend only to see each other's successes in our very best photos. So I thought I'd put my vanity aside and show you what I look like at my "best" and at my "worst" - I've lost a little over 3 stone and I'm really happy with my progress, but of course I'm still frustrated that I don't always look perfect. I suppose in my mind I thought when I reached a point when I could see my six pack (in the right lighting) I'd basically look amazing 100% of the time. Anyway, I hope it's of some inspiration to people to see that even those of us who have achieved our "successes" look better or worse according to lighting/mirror etc - it doesn't mean we look "bad", it just means that everyone's body, no matter how perfect, looks a bit funny from time to time... so if you catch yourself in bad lighting and you're feeling disheartened, remember you're probably a lot closer to your goals than you think!
So, without further ado:
Ripped!
And...
Taken 24 hours apart.
This is also a good reference for women (I haven't found an equivalent for men):
http://www.health.com/fitness/body-positive-before-and-after-photos
I was motivated by so many of the amazing stories here, but sometimes I also got really disheartened - when you catch yourself in bad lighting you can think you're a million miles away from where you want to be, especially since we tend only to see each other's successes in our very best photos. So I thought I'd put my vanity aside and show you what I look like at my "best" and at my "worst" - I've lost a little over 3 stone and I'm really happy with my progress, but of course I'm still frustrated that I don't always look perfect. I suppose in my mind I thought when I reached a point when I could see my six pack (in the right lighting) I'd basically look amazing 100% of the time. Anyway, I hope it's of some inspiration to people to see that even those of us who have achieved our "successes" look better or worse according to lighting/mirror etc - it doesn't mean we look "bad", it just means that everyone's body, no matter how perfect, looks a bit funny from time to time... so if you catch yourself in bad lighting and you're feeling disheartened, remember you're probably a lot closer to your goals than you think!
So, without further ado:
Ripped!
And...
Taken 24 hours apart.
This is also a good reference for women (I haven't found an equivalent for men):
http://www.health.com/fitness/body-positive-before-and-after-photos
23
Replies
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@kpcwkpcwkpcw Awesome post and thread idea! You look great!
I haven't taken a photo in lighting I'm happy with sharing, but I really must! Thanks for the idea.2 -
kpcwkpcwkpcw wrote: »
Taken 24 hours apart.
This is also a good reference for women (I haven't found an equivalent for men):
http://www.health.com/fitness/body-positive-before-and-after-photos
Im obsessed with this article! Everyone should see these photos. Thank you!
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kpcwkpcwkpcw wrote: »
Taken 24 hours apart.
This is also a good reference for women (I haven't found an equivalent for men):
http://www.health.com/fitness/body-positive-before-and-after-photos
Im obsessed with this article! Everyone should see these photos. Thank you!
That article is great! As are your photos. Thanks!1 -
Hey - missed the replies here... glad the post was useful 1
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This thread deserves bumping, plus a repost of the awesome article of "before and after photos" taken the same day:
http://www.health.com/fitness/body-positive-before-and-after-photos3 -
I had one of those days a while back. Standing in the bathroom I saw a hint of a four pack. Different lighting...nope.
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mom23mangos wrote: »I had one of those days a while back. Standing in the bathroom I saw a hint of a four pack. Different lighting...nope.
I can see it in both pics.
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mom23mangos wrote: »I had one of those days a while back. Standing in the bathroom I saw a hint of a four pack. Different lighting...nope.
I can see it in both pics.
Same. The shadows in the one pic just make them "pop."1 -
i'll never forget a friend who was on match.com ...she met a guy for coffee..and he didn't look anything like his photo, she was shocked and put out.
She went home.. looked at her own photo and realized it made her look better than she did in real life..and she reposted one that was realistic..so she wouldn't shock a potential date the same way she was.2 -
mmmm you look the same.. you're just sticking your stomach out in the second..and maybe in need of a spray tan. ha. So,...here here to flattering lighting and good posture.kpcwkpcwkpcw wrote: »I thought it might be useful to start a thread to show just how different our success stories come across depending on the lighting.
I was motivated by so many of the amazing stories here, but sometimes I also got really disheartened - when you catch yourself in bad lighting you can think you're a million miles away from where you want to be, especially since we tend only to see each other's successes in our very best photos. So I thought I'd put my vanity aside and show you what I look like at my "best" and at my "worst" - I've lost a little over 3 stone and I'm really happy with my progress, but of course I'm still frustrated that I don't always look perfect. I suppose in my mind I thought when I reached a point when I could see my six pack (in the right lighting) I'd basically look amazing 100% of the time. Anyway, I hope it's of some inspiration to people to see that even those of us who have achieved our "successes" look better or worse according to lighting/mirror etc - it doesn't mean we look "bad", it just means that everyone's body, no matter how perfect, looks a bit funny from time to time... so if you catch yourself in bad lighting and you're feeling disheartened, remember you're probably a lot closer to your goals than you think!
So, without further ado:
Ripped!
And...
Taken 24 hours apart.
This is also a good reference for women (I haven't found an equivalent for men):
http://www.health.com/fitness/body-positive-before-and-after-photos3 -
Thank you for posting. This made me cry. I'm really hard on myself - I get so frustrated and disheartened. I work so hard and can't get my 53-year-old-post-twins-diastasis-recti belly to flatten, despite all of my hard work and dedication. Instead I should focus on what I have achieved! (sorry for making this about me.)
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Thank you for posting. This made me cry. I'm really hard on myself - I get so frustrated and disheartened. I work so hard and can't get my 53-year-old-post-twins-diastasis-recti belly to flatten, despite all of my hard work and dedication. Instead I should focus on what I have achieved! (sorry for making this about me.)
@rkmomm I clicked "hug" and am tagging so you know you got at least one more.
Sincere respect for admitting how this made you feel, and realising how hard you can be on yourself. Give yourself a hug. 0 -
Don’t worry about all that mate keep doing what your doing and if your seen improvements your on the right track bud regardless of lighting!kpcwkpcwkpcw wrote: »I thought it might be useful to start a thread to show just how different our success stories come across depending on the lighting.
I was motivated by so many of the amazing stories here, but sometimes I also got really disheartened - when you catch yourself in bad lighting you can think you're a million miles away from where you want to be, especially since we tend only to see each other's successes in our very best photos. So I thought I'd put my vanity aside and show you what I look like at my "best" and at my "worst" - I've lost a little over 3 stone and I'm really happy with my progress, but of course I'm still frustrated that I don't always look perfect. I suppose in my mind I thought when I reached a point when I could see my six pack (in the right lighting) I'd basically look amazing 100% of the time. Anyway, I hope it's of some inspiration to people to see that even those of us who have achieved our "successes" look better or worse according to lighting/mirror etc - it doesn't mean we look "bad", it just means that everyone's body, no matter how perfect, looks a bit funny from time to time... so if you catch yourself in bad lighting and you're feeling disheartened, remember you're probably a lot closer to your goals than you think!
So, without further ado:
Ripped!
And...
Taken 24 hours apart.
This is also a good reference for women (I haven't found an equivalent for men):
http://www.health.com/fitness/body-positive-before-and-after-photos
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My photos change SO much depending on lighting and pose, that I just never know what to believe - I tend to assume the worst is what my body actually looks like, while the nice lighting is just flattering.
These were all taken within days of each other. I look a good ten lbs heavier in the pants than shorts. The one where I'm sitting down depressed me so much with how horrible and fat my legs looked, but obviously they don't in the full-length. I also bloat really easily, all over, which doesn't exactly help the issue.
Sorry don't know how to make the pictures smaller!
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In one set of pictures, it says there's 30 seconds between the two shots, but her hair is wet in one, dry in the other, and she's in a different room wearing different clothes. Seems fishy to me.1
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love this thread. Im gona make a different point here aswell. Filters/changing colors. The difference between these two pictures to me seems huge but all i did was turn it black and white. It we compare ourselfs to everyone else and their edited pics and good lighting wed be very sad always lol. I have exactly zero ab game i know but i like to pretend XD
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I had to bring up this thread again today as I remembered it trying to take progress pics, how in the world am I supposed to rely on them, lol! These are about three weeks apart, same weight and about two weeks of working out three times a week, so really not much obvious reason for a huge difference, I don't think there really is any besides the photo angle and lighting! But geez - those could easily be put side by side for a before-and-after shot, I don't know which one to believe!
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Thank you for posting. This made me cry. I'm really hard on myself - I get so frustrated and disheartened. I work so hard and can't get my 53-year-old-post-twins-diastasis-recti belly to flatten, despite all of my hard work and dedication. Instead I should focus on what I have achieved! (sorry for making this about me.)
@rkmomm I clicked "hug" and am tagging so you know you got at least one more.
Sincere respect for admitting how this made you feel, and realising how hard you can be on yourself. Give yourself a hug.
Awww, thanks @Orphia ! I know this is a few weeks old, but I'm just seeing this now. I appreciate your comment! 1 -
Today was an epic example of good lighting/bad lighting. These two photos are literally 30min apart. It's amazing what shadows and posing can do for you.
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mom23mangos wrote: »Today was an epic example of good lighting/bad lighting. These two photos are literally 30min apart. It's amazing what shadows and posing can do for you.
damn! see, this *kitten* makes it really hard for me to be objective. I'm trying to not worry about scale weight as much as body composition and judge based on progress pics but it's like all of them are so different day to day - even in the same mirror, just slightly different pose, angle, or time of day, that every single picture looks completely different and I have no idea which one is the 'right' one so to speak - the good ones or the bad ones? lol
Also I've been taking all of mine in the flattering indoors light and I'm terrified of beach pictures when we go on vacation in two months! It seems like the full-on sun really does no favors for physique
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@nettiklive - I tend to go by progress photos instead of the scale for the most part. You just have to make sure you take them in the same light, in the same pose, in the same clothes if possible. That can give you a really good idea of your change.
And no, full on sun is NOT flattering. But in reality, it's rarely full on sun. So in reality I don't look as good as the pic on the left and not as bad as the pic on the right. Somewhere in between. And honestly, F it. There are people of all body shapes and sizes at the beach enjoying themselves and their loved ones. Be one of them.6 -
lighting and angles is how photographers do their magic.2
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These were a day apart. Standing in the shade is apparently key for me.
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I've noticed the same with mirrors- you always seem to look different in different mirrors. Maybe it is a lighting thing as well, although I was in a mirror shop with the same lighting throughout and I still looked different in every mirror. And no, no joke mirrors
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Bump0
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quiksylver296 wrote: »These were a day apart. Standing in the shade is apparently key for me.
There's a very subtle difference in hand placement between these 2 photos. I only notice it because I had a friend who used to use the same pose for photos. When we were doing a photography course the photographer got her to change it so her hands were on her hips rather than her waist. He demonstrated with before and after photos.1 -
https://brightside.me/wonder-curiosities/what-the-same-girl-looks-like-in-dressing-rooms-of-11-different-stores-305160/
I saw this article a while back - it gives some insight on the matter.0
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