To retouch, or hands off?

To retouch, or hands off?

Hello and love and regards to all of our CDH readers. The photo I am using for this article is part of a shoot I did on June 26th on the top floor of a shopping complex. It's for a singing performance in August. The photographer is a friend and my upstairs neighbor.

The top floor of the complex is a food court. In Japan, shopping centers tend to be built up rather than out. We had thought if we got there just when it opened it would be quiet. Silly us! It was quite busy already!

Anyway, we found a space behind a folding curtain. We were probably not supposed to be there but aside from the photographer's flash, we finished without any problems. I think the overhead lighting was better anyway. We checked the photos as we were taking them. I couldn't help noticing my flaws as a human being. Too much belly. Too little sleep. In fact, I'm perilously close to retirement age. Yeah-right. Whatever.

Once I got the photos, I showed them to a friend who has also done several photo shoots with me. She said, “They're good but there's something weird with your right eye”. I had seen it too. It looked like I hadn't slept for a month. I assumed it was just me. My friend said, “No, it looks like a photo problem. You should ask the photographer to fix it”. Well this was done as a favor. I'm going to pay even though the idea was dismissed. My friend was having a free trial with a kind of retouch app. She fixed a few of the photos and I said, wow!

But then the other heel dropped. I say-not in a vain or boastful way at all-I have never used alteration of any kind on my photos. I know it's very common with celebrities. It just never occurred to me. I mean, the photos are supposed to be for a live performance. What happens when I don't look perfect like the photo? I don't know, maybe famous people just take it as part of the business. But I'm not sure how I feel about it. I have seen photos of CDH members that are so beautiful. I always assume they are taken as is. But even if they aren't, so what? Our beauty always shines through. A smile. A pose. A moment.

I'll leave it as this. A photo is not the same as a conversation, however, it is a statement. I have found that my best photos just happen when I'm not trying to look like or act like anyone besides myself. There is a belief among some indigenous people that a photo can steal your soul. I don't know about that. But it should definitely reflect your soul.

Thank you for reading my article and please take a few minutes to either leave a quick response to my article or answer one or more of the questions I’ve posed to you below:

• Have you ever used a photo app to alter a photo you’ve posted here at Crossdresser Heaven?
• If you use a photo app, which one do you use and why?
• What do you usually change about your appearance when you use a photo app?

Wishing you all health and happiness.

Sincerely, Triesste