URNotAlone often accepts opportunities for our members to share their experiences with URNA members. In this article, we have the opportunity to share Alex’ unique experience with a photographer. We all see the great photos on URNA but we don’t know the stories behind them. Thank you Alex for sharing your story.
I can remember Helene Barclay first contacting me approx a year ago asking whether I would be interested in doing a photo shoot with her in the near future. A combination of circumstances delayed the photo shoot until just recently in November 2005.
Although Helene is not a professional photographer to trade, she does have all the professional equipment, and is in my view a very good photographer. She had been hoping to develop a good portfolio of a few selected T?Girls with differing looks to move off into offering a photo shoot service within the Transgendered market. She has photographed some fantastic looking girls over the years. In my case she made it clear that she wanted to achieve the best feminine look so far, to the extent that no one would know the girl in the photos was anything other than a genetic female. Lol, talk about being put under pressure! To make matters more difficult, she informed me that she does not believe in using software such as Photoshop to alter the model?s looks, so I really was in a situation where I needed to be confident with my look and image.
The day finally came when I had to make my way to a lovely secluded converted farmhouse in Perthshire for the photo shoot. Things didn?t start off very well due to snowy weather conditions, and we both wondered whether we would need to cancel arrangements for another day. However, thankfully I did finally get there, and what a fab experience it turned out to be!
The whole process took about 11 hours in total, and it involved taking a combination of shots within various rooms in the house, and within the lovely gardens. We both agreed to try out four different looks, all with their own style and mood. This involved changing my make-up slightly in each section, and donning different clothes. The poses were made up as we went along, and Helene continually reminded me about the fact that I was no longer a guy, and was a beautiful woman emanating my sexuality.
The first look involved a combination of internal living room shots in various locations including the window area, and externally within the gardens. I wore a casual pink top, jeans, and black boots, with very little makeup to give the every day outdoor girly look. To say I was cold is an understatement, lol.
The second look involved donning my lovely red dress, and I changed my makeup to darker shades to give a more glam formal image. The backdrop was white, and Helene wanted to produce a more magazine style image using strong lighting, and poses from me that I?ve never tried in my life. It is my view that my best pictures were taken within this session, and I have more than one favourite.
Helene wanted the next session to be formal again, but in total contrast to the red dress look. A black backdrop had been set up, and I donned a sexy black dress to create a whole new image.
The final photo session took place within a lovely highly lit white bedroom. In this occasion Helene was looking for the pretty girl next-door look. So I tamed down the makeup colours a bit, but wore more than in the first session of pics. My clothes consisted of a white off the shoulder top, denim mini skirt, chrome chain belt, and sexy stiletto heeled chain strap sandals. Again, some fantastic natural looking photos were taken within this session despite the fact that I was very tired at that stage. If anyone ever tries to tell you that modelling is easy, they don?t know what they are talking about, because I?ve worked on building sites and been less tired at the end of the day, lol.
Helene ran off a selection of prints for me to take home, and I have to say I was more than pleased with the results. She also informed me that a good number of the shots were excellent, and how unusual it was to have so many good successful pictures within one photo shoot.
I have to thank Helene for being so encouraging, and being so good at what she does best, taking fabulous photos. I had one of the most fantastic feminine experiences that I think every transgendered girl should do at least once in her life. Nothing beats that feeling of being totally feminine, and showing the rest of the world the real girl who has sought freedom from the male side for most of life. The results of the photos have shown me that I have become who I always wanted to be, and that my own image struggles are coming to an end. Even if you only wish to look that way part time girls, the experience is well worth doing.
Luv, Alex. xxx