Recently I discovered that my old MySpace is still there. I have no way of deactivating it as I no longer have access to the e-mail address I set it up with. It had been quietly sitting there gathering virtual dust all this time. I’m guessing it was around 2010 since I last logged in, the time of the last purge. Familiar faces greeted me from my Friends list but all posts and comments appear to have disappeared. I wonder what all those people are up to now and if they’ve abandoned their profiles for dead too. The reason I logged on was to have a look at some of my old pictures to see if they were still there. Indeed they were. I no longer have copies of them you see, having been overly careful down the years I would delete pics off the hard drive once I’d uploaded them. An idea I have been thinking over for some time is to sort out my Anna photo archive properly. From 2011 onwards I have a pretty comprehensive collection but the years prior to that are decidedly patchy. I had thought of maybe starting a Flickr account too. So I have somewhere to keep a back up but also have them on display for anyone who would appreciate them.
As often happens when you start looking at old photos I was transported back in time and thus lost track of it. I copied a fair few of them – not all though only the ones that looked okay. Some of them I had forgotten about and I cringed at some of the outfits and poses…
I began to think again about why as crossdressers we photograph ourselves as we inevitably don’t get to share them much (god bless the internet). I suppose it’s not too odd because really as people we photograph everything we see, especially these days. We like to chart the progression of our lives and we like to remember. I’m particularly pleased with my archive, it’s pretty much a decade’s worth.
Pictures can also be incredibly powerful, funny, moving, thought-provoking and obtuse. Sometimes all at once. I happen to think the best ones are not always posed. I really like the pictures where the subject(s) are not necessarily aware that they are being photographed. No one else has ever taken a photo of Anna and I think I’d really like that. It would be terribly interesting to see how that would turn out. I’ve often wanted to ask my wife but have been too shy. When we did the now traditional Halloween Anna evening last night I wanted to ask but couldn’t find the right opportunity. I suppose I’m also a bit worried because when we were discussing my last post she remarked how I seemed to default to ‘sex kitten’ in them. It was a good point but that’s probably just because o my wardrobe choices. Put me in a cute skirt and heels I automatically bend or point my knees and turn my head to one side. I can’t help it 😄
I did take a few pictures before we settled down to watch a film. Ended up in that green dress I bought a couple of months back and I even accessorised!
Hope you all had a great Halloween too! If I sort a Flickr out I’ll let you know X
Confessions of Anna Secret Poet 
What an inspiring post! Don’t you love finding that archive documenting the evolution of Anna? Yes, absolutely follow your idea for organizing your pics and giving them proper treatment. I have some of the same thoughts about my work and tendency to default toward sexual material. I think that’s just an opening bid for our subconscious–once we get in there the creativity deepens into more. There is nothing wrong with exploring our innermost sexuality through fantasy. We are fortunate–we do it in a healthy non-destructive way and can share it with others. There are so many others with this same desire. I love seeing you posts, both old and new ❤
Thank you, I always love your comments. They’re always so well worded and they always make me smile 🙂
Great post, Anna. It’s a haunting feeling to see photos you’ve forgotten about and rediscovered. I’ve kept almost all of my photos and saved them to flash drives in addition to adding them to Flickr. I think wanting to keep those photos is not just a way to track progress but to remember the person you were, the CD you started out as, and the memories that you don’t want to forget.
Thank you, you’re right indeed. I do like looking back being the nostalagic sentimentalist that I am. Especially since I am a lot less ashamed these days and it means I can let these old ones out to breathe so to speak and join the others 🙂
I take photos of Paul all the time. He’s created an Instagram account that he posts shots of his outfits to. He seems a little nervous to ask me to take a pic sometimes, but it’s never an issue for me.
Felt a bit bad the other night, I was giggling at his posing, he holds his hands in this certain way that I find adorable, but it makes me giggle. So I showed him how I would hold them and where I’d put them. I get him sometimes to pose a bit differently, depending on what he’s wearing.
Ask your wife. If she says no, then so be it. Maybe she’ll say yes and help you too. Clearly she’s supportive, so let her support you. It’s nice to be included!
🙂
Thank you, I’ll definitely ask next time (whenever that is lol). Hope you’ve been having a lovely weekend!