Battling back, starting at the basics again - YouLookFab Forum

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Battling back, starting at the basics again

biscuitsmom

Veteran

After Biscuit's terminal cancer diagnosis and death, I lost what little ground I had gained in finding and caring about 'my' style, although I kept enjoying reading about everyone's triumphs/struggles. I recently realized I had to start over, from scratch (talking about under garments on out!) and though I know posting pics would help tremendously, I am still struggling to get someone to teach me how to take/post pics. I only have my pita Sister and impatient DH. But regardless, I'm feeling a spark of hope and am hoping to gain some level of acceptance with how I look, even though I believe I will never be happy with it. If I can regain some of my love of clothes/accessories*+* how they look on me, not just on others/by themselves (which I have NO problem with) I will be happy, for sure....

Dressing

30 replies

Latest reply was from K. Period.

rachylou

Veteran

Hi Biscuitsmom! Sounds like you've found a little Spring in your step. Very nice. Have you got a smart phone? (Just wondering about the pictures thing.)

Diana

Veteran

Glad to hear that you are seeing some light at the end of the tunnel!

If you have the equipment (camera or phone) already I bet some of us here could help you with the photos!

Caro in Oz

Veteran

Glad you are feeling hopeful Small steps

What about doing a beginners photography course? In Australia we have adult education classes, for just about anything you want to learn, that are not expensive

April

Veteran

BMom! Good to see you. I am also quite limited in my ability to take pictures. If you tell me what hardware you're working with, maybe I can explain things, beginner-to-beginner.

I tend to use my real digital camera because I have an Android phone and I don't know how to upload photos from it. So I do the retro thing and transfer photos from my camera to my laptop to the forum.

P.S. How did you ever resolve things with the longterm houseguests whose stay was a real challenge? PM me if you feel like talking about it.

Freckles

Veteran

Yah for a spark. My house is very dark and I am the most horrible picture taker imaginable so I get the pics thing. The few that I do take are with an older camera on my balcony outside in the summer. I can put the camera on timer on the railing of the balcony and take the pic. Look at it and change where the table, chairs, etc are on the balcony.
Year(s) ago ClearlyClaire had a post on where she took pics in different locations in the house. The most interesting for me was in the same room with curtains open, one curtain open at front and one curtain open at the back {or something like that}. It made a real difference. In the end she decided on the one curtain option as the pics were way better.
Does anyone remember that post, I can't seem to find it.
I've backslid into really frumpy territory myself. Delicate jewellery is driving me mad at the moment. Good luck.

Thistle

Veteran

I honestly have DH snap a quick pic with my smartphone. The pics are not nearly as nice as other fabbers though.

I have also been known to take selfies in the bathroom.

Glad to see you back!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Woooohoooo. Loving the spring in your step. Let's get those photos going. xo

mrseccentric

(website)

Veteran

aw, it is so hard to see our friends suffer, and when they cross the rainbow bridge. If other things fall by the wayside it's just how it is, you know what is the most important.

I'm glad to hear you are feeling better and ready to return to the fray I use my ironing board to take selfies - the camera sits on top of the ironing board, i can raise the board up or down or move it around easily to try out different angles and places to take pix. If your camera has a strap, just safety pin it to your ironing board cover in case of a fall.

and don't be afraid to use the flash! so many pictures it's almost impossible to see any details and it's because it's too dark. Remember - the camera is recording *light*. just experiment every day, and you'll get better quickly.

take care and glad to see you steph

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Good to see you back, and just do your best and we will help! Once you dive in it gets much, much easier every time. Everyone here is so kind and helpful.

JAileen

Veteran

I'm glad your feeling a better.

My pictures are pretty low quality, but I just use my cell phone and a wall mirror. I think they would be better if the light were better, but it's the best I can do.

Anonymous

Hi there BM! I'm so glad you are feeling a little better. There are some super smart people here that can help you out with the posting of pictures, and I hope we get to see them!

@Freckles, I don't think that is my post you are remembering. I may have asked with room was better for taking pictures, but I think you're talking about something a little more comprehensive. Does anyone remember that post and who wrote it?

Freckles

Veteran

CC sorry. Thought it was you in your daughter's bedroom trying to take pics in her mirror and doing your thing with the drapes/blinds...

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I am glad you are feeling some spark after your devastating experience. My only tip with taking pictures is experiment with different camera heights and remember that the pictures you see here are only the ones we pick - there are plenty of outtakes at least for me.

shedev

Veteran

I'm really glad you are starting to feel better.

rabbit

Veteran

Yay for spark! Every little step helps to add a little more kindling to it.

I'm just figuring out the photos too, and rejecting lots of them (I'm almost physically incapable of having a relaxed face in a photo, I don't know why).

One thing I've found is that a lot of natural light that is diffuse is always better than trying to work something out with indoor lighting and flash on a not great camera. The indoor lighting distorts colors and isn't bright enough for detail. The flash flattens me and makes me look wider. For now if I can't step into the backyard, I stand right next to a big window, and try to do the photos early in the day, or recreate a bunch of outfits quickly on a weekend when someone else is around to hold the camera.

deb

Veteran

OK, we are ready to help.

Gigi

Veteran

Biscuitsmom, so sorry to hear about Biscuit. What a loss for you.

I am glad you are taking some positive baby steps. I can't help you with taking pix, since I don't have a camera myself, but I found a couple of threads in the forum archives:

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....the-mirror
http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....look-short

There are probably others too, if you get creative with your search terms.

Hope this helps at least a little bit! I've been told that trial and error is really the only way to go with learning to take pix.

Debra

Veteran

Back to basics, a fresh start, sounds great

sarah

Veteran

Do you have a digital camera, for starters, that has a self-timer setting? That setting is usually a little "clock" icon on the camera.

Glad you're starting to crawl out of the sadness of losing Biscuit. That must be so hard.

Anonymous

So pleased you feel ready to get started BM. I have a very simple digital camera you know and the cheapest little tripod. Between the two I can do a timed shot in a spot near a window or in the room that get the most light. With clothes you can follow Angies suggestion of starting with underwear. Also good basic items like jeans or pencil skirts and a flattering-for-you shaped top. Good luck and there are always loads of wise ladies on here to help when needed.

biscuitsmom

Veteran

Hi everyone! Sorry I couldn't answer right away, got crazy busy unexpectedly.... I cant tell you how much I appreciate all the kind words, great ideas

Rachylou, thanks! No smartphone, just a cheap-ass cell Diana, thanks! I do have a digital camera, that's a sweet offer! Caro, absolutely small steps, but they are still steps, thanks I have such problems with brain fog, I'd be overwhelmed at a class, I'm afraid. April, thanks, it's good to be back...So sweet of you to offer- We have a Acer computer, windows 7, Canon digital camera, only know how to do a few things on them, grrr. What other info can I tell you? They are *finally* gone, some stuff still here...didn't want to get out, will PM you Friday. Freckles, thanks! I need to experiment a lot, see if I can figure it out. I'll look for posts on pics, there are several, I'm afraid I don't understand much of it though.... I don't think you are frumpy at all! Delicate jewelry is my nemesis too....Thistle, thanks! My DH promises to help, but then gets pissed off I don't instantly get what he means and doesn't have patience for trying new ways, I'd much rather try alone. I think you post great pics! Angie, thanks much for the encouragement and patience with me! Steph, Good to see you too, thanks! Yeah, everything went to hell when we lost him....thanks for the tips! Suz, thank you! Everyone here is so incredibly kind and helpful, I wouldn't even think about trying this anywhere else.... JAileen, thank you! I think your pics are great, not low quality at all. CC, thanks, I just wish I wasn't so stupid...that and brain fog are not a good combo! I am going to try Shevia, thanks for the great tips! That definitely was one of the hardest periods of my life....Shedev, I am, starting to Thanks. rabbit, every little bit really does help, for sure Great tips too....I'd really rather not have DH here while I'm trying to do it.... Deb, thank you! So sweet. Gigi, Yes, thanks....it is a tremendous loss, he'll always be 'my boy'. Great tips, lots of trial and error from me coming up! Debra, yup! Fresh start and back to basics is exactly what I need to do in many areas of my life right now Sarah, it does...gotta figure it out was truly devastating, we knew it was coming, but sooo hard to accept. Diane G, thanks! Great ideas, finally got a couple pair of jeans I like, also a few summer tops, no real sweater love and we're having one of the coldest, snowiest winters ever here, ack! There sure are a lot of amazing ladies here

lyn67

Veteran

Glad you're back B'sMom! I'm so sorry for Biscuit:-(, and am in love with Ange!:-).Having fun with clothes/fashion no matter the size, shape, budget or style does a ton for getting in the right mood and confidence! I can say it from my own experience! So, go on, FabGirl!:-)

biscuitsmom

Veteran

So sweet, Lyn67! Thank you Angel sends sloppy doggeh kisses to you.... she's growing up *fast* and will be 5 months old Sunday. She is a sweetheart, keeps me busy, but not like before when she needed to be watched practically every minute, lol. Been doing obedience classes, but it's not going very well....sigh. But she is much younger than the other pups there. She does really well at home, but goes crazy in the store Next big thing is to get her to walk on a leash nicely. Haven't been able to practice it hardly at all, far too icy and cold out.....

Isabel

Veteran

YAY !!!! I am so glad to hear that you are taking an interest again and taking a little step forward after the terrible loss.

How wonderful to have you back. : )

biscuitsmom

Veteran

(((hugs))) Thanks so much, girl

K. Period.

Veteran

It is nice to see you back on the main forum again. I've missed you.

I just have a basic camera on my cel phone that I take pics with. It isn't any more (or less) complex than a digital camera version.

I'm not getting a very good idea of what level of help you need. Do you need help with the very basic stuff? As in how to download pictures from your camera to the computer and then how to post them? Or just with how to get decent pictures? Let us know. I'm sure we can get you sorted.

JulieJohn

Veteran

(hug)
I am glad you're resurfacing.

rachylou

Veteran

Lol, biscuitsmom. My motto is forget good pictures, just work on getting them off the camera and onto the computer. Lol. I never would get my rolls of film developed and now I fail to download my pics to the computer.

Are you PC or Mac?

I saw this hoot of a show awhile back. They paired up these teenyboppers with these geezers. The teenyboppers, with their backs turned, had to instruct their senior citizen how to turn on the computer, get pictures off the digital camera, and upload them to Facebook or something. It was a race! With lots of grumbling on all sides...

...Which is not to imply you and I are ol' geezers. Hehe.

biscuitsmom

Veteran

Thanks so much! I really appreciate the replies K.Period, you are so sweet! Thank you! As far as what level help I need, I'm sorry to say 'everything!' I don't have a clue how to even get pics from the camera onto the computer, but it's too much to ask for help w/that, so I'm gonna bite the bullet and see if DH will show me how. Then I will be looking for hints/reading all the tips here :)JulieJohn, awww, thank you! So kind of you to say that, I really enjoy your posts. Rachylou, girl, you are so funny! I LUV your pics! I'd be happy to get anything up, believe me. Aint nuthin' good coming from me, I'm afraid... I have a PC, Acer computer, use Windows 7. Jeez, I could've starred in the geezer portion of that show, lol! That would be about the last way I would describe you,for sure! Trying to change that about me

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