Back to the future

Odd one yesterday. Got the chance to dress and really went for it. started with a post on Facebook regarding using Kryolan stick as a foundation.  When started off my first makeovers ere done using kryolan so bought a colour corect stick.Later bought a slightly lighter stick as another website had a triangle in the centre of the face which actually turned out to be surprisingly effective. The problem with kryolan is is a swine to take off and at that time that was a significant issue, still is I suppose.  Anyway looking at the older pics and the face looked better. Suspected the kryolan was implicated in this. Ddecided to give itanother go. Finding the sticks was easy but the setting powder had vanished so used Aldi normal powder. Pleasantly surprised by the result so tried some pics.  Again in a retro way just put the flash on the bannister. Well later looked at the results and there was a something so felt it was worth doing at least for pics. For going out, well possibly used not enough powder but the creases seemed to somehow be more obvious after a time.  Will try to hunt out some powder to fix the kryolan and try again.
So all in all it was a success.  The makeup went on easily, basically took it easy and lowered my expectations. Need to start thinking about Brighton 2015. A poster appeared on Facebook including a dance at the saturday evening. Very tempting  but where staying is a 15 min train journey and say 10 min walk. Will think about it but would like to do it. There is something wonderful about going out in a nice frock in daylight. If could change into my fineary it might be possible. Need to order some more contact lenses, coming close to running out. Still not bought a new camera, again suspect there is a subsconscious reason for that. Did start to explore monopods for the outdoor pics. Do need to crack on with the diet and the exercise to look my best at Ditchling Beacon. Currently at 11 st 8 lb but have dipped down to 11 st 7. Still too much love handles on view. Only need to lose say 4 lb's.

Is it worth it?

Attempted to get the mag where there is suppossed to be my pics. Left with a some food for thought. It was a battle getting there.  Suppsed to be 35 minsby train but train was late and had to stand to Newcastle. Then took about half an hour to find the place.  The mag was not there but could get 4 items for 3. Nothing in the "toys" or vids but saw red and black mules  at £22.  promising.  Lace dress at £19. Then a black lacy kimono at £45, opps.  The woman suggested a basque at  £39. The final bill was £107 which felt high but was correct. as ever I had got slightly "fuged" by the place. So was it a result, well up to a point.  The shoes well would have paid up to £30.  But the rest, well, nothing was at a stupid price but you could easily knock £10 off each one. £70 wasted would be harsh but £70 for the lot would have been a bargain.
There is a bigger question as to buying things for the lass, how often will thy be used and how do you measure value for money? So I have an Axford corset at £110 which absolutely love and another for t £100 which was not quite an impulse buy and ideally I would not have bought.  The latex stockings, good fun but used so few times are they a result?  They have fed the inner girl and I can say I have worn latex, so the cost is probably OK.  Potentially £60 of todays spend could be done without.
I have an image of being in the summer accommodation, kimono, mules and in the front room having breakfast, probably too close to the window. Thats worth a few pounds. One of the aims of the blog is to reflect and to modify for the better my thoughts and behaviour. Would like to go to What katie Wore in london but that will be expensive!

Dressing Interuptus

Well a couple of days lying in bed with cold has not done any harm to abs or weight but probably that will change. Went to Aldi and got 2 total support bras 34D and 36D for £2.99 each, result. In town also got a couple of cheap boas. Back home put on a couple of corsets and yet again the absolute faff of putting the over bust corset was negated by how good it looks on. Then tried the running stuff on, not too bad and the tight shorts could work well too! The light blonde long haired wig showed promise too. Then to the stockings, bra, blue corset, gloves outfit for the burlesque act. Tried it with the boa and the DVD until got all lost removing the gloves. Did not feel too silly so that says something. Put the lycra stretchy sparkly dress on and with  the heels had tea, butter curry a bottle of cider and it all went well. Started washing up, san heels due to the lino on the floor bit felt cold and worried J might arrive suddenly.  Which she did unexpectedly a couple of hours later, hope I manage to not be too suspicious and only the aroma of 1,000 Kisses remained. To be honest bit annoyed to get interupted like that. No phone call or text, OK phone was not on but even so. If had been seen with dress on well not ideal but do feel I need my space.

Its A Go

So to a large extent Brighton 2015 has been planned for. Thursday to sunday at Susex University, £300, Ticket to London Kings Cross £35.10, ticket Kings Cross to home £60. So lets say £400. The train tickets have gone up and 1 is first class and the London to Brighton part has not ben paid for yet but that should be £20 and say another £10 for the tube. Then there will be the Falmer Brighton cost, lets say £30-40. I would like to get another camera, some new clothes it will all add up. Once I had hoped I could have a really good holiday, leather toilet bags and a Leica camera for some reason were the symbols of this.  Now I have no such hopes, possibly if I made a really big effort saving something could be done, would love Venice or Paris. The point is holiday means time to release the inner girl. So  there will becoffe shops, beaucoup pics, white wine, ladies toilets, talking to other people. Not so sure how to meet other Tgirls, go out clubbing or even just have a coffee. There is a cunning plan to do some al fresco pics, do the walk and possibly a couple of runs dressed. Then in November hope to do Manchester/Liverpool/Bury.

Pixel by pixel

My first digital camera was in at a guess, 2003 or 2004. I was taking pics of myself naked and would prop it against the TV in my room and use the timer. I suspect there was some self actualisation going on. During this time there was a couple of instances of attempted dressing, there is a pic of a stockinged leg. It used Compact Flash cards, expensive but used till surprising lly recently.  It was silver and quite compact and simple to use. In 2008 to visit Jodie I bought a new Nikon Coolpix in black. Sadly it was not terribly good and I was never happy with it. In 2010 after a lot of research, thank you Internet, bought a Panasonic TZ8 would was said to be a Leica but without the red dot. I use it today and it still gives sterling service. Recent research into anew camera and I was surprised how things had advanced. If I am to take alfresco pics, and I so do, then some form of remote is required, this is not an issue  as a lot of cameras have WiFi and NFC so can use mobile phone to trigger camera, some allow to see image from screen too. Potentially could be very useful. Seen a coiple of possibles but for some reason did not feel like buying, not sure why but have learnt over the years that when that happens there is probably a good reason.
For the heavy lifting used the Alpha 200, granted the shutter was loud and it was a compromise, the focusing was a bit "hunting" at times, also the body sometimes would not speak to the lens too. However that and the flash unit, the Sony HVL-F42AM, £150 but worth every penny, must have taken thousands of pics. Year before last bought the Alpha 58, quieter, lighter but fatally flawed as needed a new Intervalometer, problem resolved now but it would be wrong to say it was a camera I enjoyed using. Not taking as many pics now as well. I have a bounce flash umbrella and a couple of tripods. I tried briefly before the second flash died with a 2 flash system. Then got some parachute ripstop nylon to use as a white backcloth. For quite a time would setup the tripod with the camera and Intervalometer, put the flash on the bannister and good to go. The A58 had none of that and I had to use a netbook with the rubbish software USBed to the camera. Later I found a way using lightroom or Photoshop to see the downloaded pics which is useful. Now an Intervalometer is available so use that. Originally used a wireless trigger but that required hiding the wireless release button unit.
When I got a week for at least a few days to myself I would setup an area with white sheets and leave the tripods out. One year made an studio I suppose in the garage, complete with heels tapping on the concrete. It all takes time. Originally the put the flash on the banister would take say 15 mins, then better background, longer. Then use downstairs so it could easily take up to an hour to get usable pics. Its quite stressful too, hunting for pegs and clothes.
Been through several software packages, RAWTHerapee, Light room, Photoshop elements, Photoshop had some nice plugins but they got virus ridden so had to go. Suppose it helps.
In 2005 it was a Nikon e3200. Then a Nikon CoolpixL15.  Before that it was a HPSmart 318.

It is said that French peasants in the 15th century didnot know what they looked like. Assuming you didnot have  mirror you would have to rely on your reflection in water or glass. Imagine being a Tgurl before digital cameras and the Internet.

Summer Time Thinking

Well Sussex University finally got back and tomorrow I will pony up £300 for a room during the vacation. Then I can start thinking about train tickets. So thats done really. Ideally would have a big holiday in a hotel, spend beaucoup money and visit a dressing service, all top draw stuff. However its going to be a compromise again. Once I would put away £50 a month and see ot grow for the holiday, should do that again, it was nice to count it and imagine what will do. In quite a few ways I am brightoned outbut as ever I know stuff will happena nd I will find myself in a coffeshop thinking "oh no need to go home soon."  The big one was at the pub just up from the station, was unemployed so some time ago and there is a pic of the inside of the pub with a nice grate on the fire. That was prePaige but the principle still applies. Do not really have much expectation for Trans Brighton 2015 but live in hope, would like to do London.
The pics have been a relative success on Flickr, some more still to process and need to make a decision about the vid. Tried last week to get the mag I I supposed to be in with no success. Not a big problem may need to mail order it which would be dicey.
Shorts weather which is nice but my shaven legs well so be it. The arms need shaving epilating but that could be more complicated but really do want to do it. Th eyebrows are getting there butt he weight is a bit high still.  Tranny party is no longer in Brighton but I think Seaford would like to go but could be tricky getting there, lot of time to think about that one.  Ideally Trans prode would have a ball or party but it would be difficult for me to attend as would need to get the train. It still irrattes me seeing girls dressed up getting into taxis and going out  clubbing. Once there was actually snow on the ground, I was in Chester Road and a girl got into a taxi wearing high heels, sheer tights and a black small ensemble. That sheared itself into my memory. Now THAT would be a challenge on the Falmer to Brighton train!

Getting Things In Focus

Well left alone for the weekend and yesterday managed some dressing, no makeup and today managed pics. Up for started 10 am , lots of shaving of body, then moisturising, tidying up and geting things ready, seting up the back ground.  Moving furniture. At 12 stoppd for lunch and really was in front of the camera by 1 15 pm. Still lots of hunting for clothing and the running baseball cap. Thought it would be good to try the 50 mm prime lens again. called it a day at 4.30 and felt a lot better as ever do. The problems started when looked at he pics. Too many were out of focus and too amny were badly exposed. Granted white on a white background was nott ideal there was something else, I suspect the 50 mm lens.  Then CS3 did not have a RAW plugin, odd but sort of sorted that. It is not good enough really. Get insufficient chances to take pics and when do they come out do not get enough good ones.  once it was a 15 min operation, tripod, setup camera, intervalometer, put flash unit on bannister, job done.  Granted lots of possible flare but it did turn out a reasonable print. The advanced technique, bounce flash and all, can be much more effective. However to get there takes so much longer, when it goes wrong well you feel it burn.
The other point was the pics show an older face, a wider stomach and a big ribcage.  Here it comes. There is now a real sense it is coming very soon to realise I can no longer, if I ever could, the young pics and move on. Also that the Transwoman I a is an older woman.