How To Take The Best Progress Pictures (2024)

Why Take Progress Pictures?

Starting a new fitness journey is always daunting, especially if you're a complete newbie or if you've had a long break from exercise. Taking photos of yourself when you don’t feel all that great about yourself is probably the last thing you want to do. But trust me, taking pictures at the start of your journey is hands down the best thing you can do because the sense of achievement you'll feel when you're able to look back and see how far you've come is a hugely rewarding part of your journey.

Throw Out The Scales

I’m not a fan of taking measurements or obsessing over the number on the scales. In my experience, it can cause unnecessary anxiety and the stress can actually stop you from getting results. It’s much better to take photos as a reference point and instead, focus on how you feel throughout your journey.

Taking note of your energy levels, digestion, skin, mood, strength gains, and how your clothes are fitting is a much better measurement of your progress because it forces you to actually connect to your physical body, rather than disconnecting you by putting too much emphasis on a numerical goal with no regard for your well-being.

So here are step-by-step instructions on how to take the best progress pictures:

Take Photos Once Every Four Weeks At The Most

Healthy progress is slow progress, especially if your goal is to change your body composition by lifting weights. Chances are, it’ll be very unlikely that you’ll see daily or even weekly changes in your body. If you take daily photos, you’ll be disappointed when you can’t see changes right away. Personally, I recommend taking the first set of progress shots on day one of your new program and then the next set of pictures at the end of your program. Taking progress pictures no more than every four weeks would be the absolute maximum recommended.

Avoid Overly Posing, Flexing And Unnatural Angles

It’s tempting to want to make your initial progress pictures look better than they really are. We’ve all seen the deceivingly clever angles on your favourite fitness influencer’s gym selfies, popping the hips out to one side, sucking the belly in, and enlarging the booty tenfold. But for the love of the fitness gods, please don’t do the same!

A natural and relaxed posture will allow you to see your progress more clearly and it will also make your photos more consistent. It’s hard to pose or flex in exactly the same position every time! The goal is to have almost identical poses for comparison between your progress photos, so relaxed and natural is always best.

Good Lighting Is A Must

Your phone camera is perfectly fine, you don’t need a fancy camera. But great lighting will make all the difference. If you’re a social media pro, you no doubt have a ring light. But if you don’t have a professional light setup, take your photos in a well-lit room during the day with as much natural sunlight as possible. Setting the camera up near a window with you facing the light source is ideal.

Setting Up Your Camera

Every time you take progress photos, make sure that the camera is in the same spot and that you are standing exactly the same distance away from the camera. If you have a tripod, I recommend setting it up in the right position and leaving it in the same position and height until you take your next set of photos. If you don’t have a tripod, you can simply lean your phone against some books on a desk or windowsill.

PRO TIP: To remember your position, stand up close to the camera and take however many steps backward until you are in the right position. You are aiming to get your full body into the frame from the top of your head to your feet. Set the camera on selfie view with it set to a timer, so you can check you’re in the right position and take shots hands-free. Once you know you’re in the right spot, take note of your exact position in the room and how many steps you are standing away from the camera.

What To Wear

Obviously, the aim of taking progress photos is to see the visible changes in your body, so the less you are wearing the better! Ideally, you want to wear something that is form-fitting and reveals your arms, stomach, and legs. A bikini swimsuit, bra and panties (nothing too racy though!), or a gym crop top and shorts are preferable, but just go with whatever feels more comfortable to you. Wear the same thing in all your photos to keep the continuity and only change your outfit if it no longer fits you. Remember, no one has to see these photos unless you want them to!

How To Pose

Each set of progress photos will have three full-body views (front, side, and back). For the front and back views, simply stand up straight with your natural posture, feet together, relax your shoulders and let your arms hang by your side. For the side view, do exactly the same but raise your arms up and straight out in front of you so your arms do not obstruct the view of your torso.

Morning Photos On An Empty Stomach

To get the best progress pictures, you want to be as consistent as possible. It’s always best to take them on the same day each time and first thing in the morning after you’ve been to the bathroom and before you eat anything. Our abdomens expand throughout the day after eating all our meals and drinking liquids so to avoid a bloated tummy in your photos, morning fasted pictures are best.

Opt For A Clean, Solid Background

A messy bedroom or cluttered shelves in the background of your progress photos can detract from the main focal point - you! It can also distort the lines of your body and not to mention, it just looks ugly, busy, and confusing. If you can, always take your photos against a plain colored wall or in a large open and tidy space.

Progress Pictures In A Nutshell

  • Take photos every four weeks for consistent tracking.

  • Avoid posing or using unnatural angles for true progress visibility.

  • Ensure good lighting, preferably natural, for clearer images.

  • Keep the camera setup consistent for every photo session.

  • Wear form-fitting clothes to better observe bodily changes.

  • Include three views in your progress photos: front, side, and back.

  • Take photos in the morning on an empty stomach for consistency.

  • Choose a clean, solid background to keep the focus on your progress.

How To Take The Best Progress Pictures (2024)

FAQs

How can I make my progress pictures look better? ›

Our 8 tips for the best before & after fitness progress photos
  1. Tip 1: Show your shape. ...
  2. Tip 2: Wear the same clothes. ...
  3. Tip 3: Use a plain wall. ...
  4. Tip 4: Take a full-body photo at eye level. ...
  5. Tip 5: Shoot from 3 angles. ...
  6. Tip 6: Stand in natural light. ...
  7. Tip 7: Maintain good posture.

What time of day should you take progress pictures? ›

Most of the time, it's most convenient to take progress photos first thing in the morning before you've had anything to eat or drink, so you won't be bloated from a recent meal, and you'll be at a consistent level of (de)hydration for all of your progress photos.

How to take progress pictures by yourself for weight loss? ›

How to take weight loss progress pictures
  1. Choose the same location every time. The location of your progress check-in photo is important. ...
  2. Use the light well. ...
  3. Use a tripod. ...
  4. Use a timer. ...
  5. Keep the same angle every time. ...
  6. Don't over-edit your photos. ...
  7. Time of day. ...
  8. Photos are great but also track other metrics.
May 15, 2023

Are you supposed to flex in progress pictures? ›

Tips for Capturing the Best Progress Photos

Front: stand relaxed, don't flex, and don't stick your belly out. Just be comfortable. Back: raise your camera at an angle so you can capture your entire head to toe from the back. Again, relax, and try not to flex your back!

How to take pictures to show off muscles? ›

Straight-on light flattens out the muscles. To highlight muscles, angle the light so that shadows cross over the muscle and give it dimension. To create this effect, turn the model away from the light source, whether the sun, a window, or a light fixture.

How to take better gym pics? ›

We've listed six selfie tips below to help you beautifully capture your post-workout bliss.
  1. Find the Right Lighting. Any photographer will tell you that lighting is an essential element of a quality image. ...
  2. Consider Your Setting. ...
  3. Know Your Angle. ...
  4. Select Some Add-Ons. ...
  5. Make It Authentic. ...
  6. Tell Your Story.

Should you take progress pics everyday? ›

Take photos regularly

And the final, but probably most important tip, is to take these photos regularly. Daily might be too much and you're unlikely to see any differences, weekly you could see some differences but this may also change week to week. It may be easiest and most effective to take photos every month.

How to take good body pics? ›

Keep your feet together and slightly bend or relax the knee that is closer to the camera. For those full-body photos, this pose looks so natural and comfortable while offering good posture and slightly slimming the legs. 2. Tilt your head towards the camera—never away from the camera.

What time of day is typically the worst time to take photos? ›

The worst light of the day is between the hours of 10am and 2pm when the light comes from overhead. This creates terrible and unflattering shadows where we don't wait to see them (under our eyes, under our noses to make them seem bigger … no one wants that).

How to look slim in 30 days? ›

7 Steps To Lose Belly Fat
  1. Step 1: Clean Up Your Diet. ...
  2. Step 2: Practice Portion Control. ...
  3. Step 3: Increase Fiber Intake. ...
  4. Step 4: Engage In Cardiovascular Exercise. ...
  5. Step 5: Embrace Strength Training. ...
  6. Step 6: Prioritise Quality Sleep And Stress Management. ...
  7. Step 7: Stay Hydrated And Limit Alcohol Intake.
Jun 27, 2023

How do I look to lose belly fat? ›

8 Ways to Lose Belly Fat and Live a Healthier Life
  1. Try curbing carbs instead of fats. ...
  2. Think eating plan, not diet. ...
  3. Keep moving. ...
  4. Lift weights. ...
  5. Become a label reader. ...
  6. Move away from processed foods. ...
  7. Focus on the way your clothes fit more than reading a scale. ...
  8. Hang out with health-focused friends.

How long until you see yourself losing weight? ›

On average, a 15 to 20-pound loss (approximately 2 to 5 percent of your starting body weight) is enough to notice "significant changes in your body," he said. You can start seeing differences in yourself as early as two weeks with rapid weight loss.

How to take good progress pics? ›

1. Take your pictures and measurements at the same time every week, from the front, sides, and back. You can also do every other week if you like too, just pick an interval and be consistent. Add a reminder to your calendar every 7-10 days or at your chosen interval so you can stay on top of it.

Should I take progress pics in the morning or night? ›

#3 Take Photos at the Same Time of Day

One of them might be weighing yourself right when you wake up. And it makes perfect sense. It's a lot easier to track your progress by stepping on the scale in the morning since you don't have to factor in all those calories you've digested throughout the day.

How to take progress pic female? ›

How To Take Progress Photos By Yourself
  1. Choose a simple non distracting location like a plain wall. Make sure there is no clutter, patterns, bright colors or distracting objects in the background. ...
  2. Wear clothing that will reveal your conditioning. ...
  3. Take a full-body photo at eye level. ...
  4. Stand in natural light.
Nov 21, 2023

How can I make my stock photos look better? ›

You can change the entire look by turning a color photo black and white or by saturating it to make it brighter and bolder. Another good option is to create a translucent overlay of one of the colors from your brand's palette.

How can I make my product pictures look better? ›

6 steps to master phone product photography
  1. Use a room with good lighting.
  2. Choose your smartphone.
  3. Get a mini tripod.
  4. Set up your backdrop.
  5. Use white bounce boards.
  6. Set up a diffuser sheet if the sun is too bright.
Jun 14, 2024

How can I make my sports pictures look better? ›

  1. Find a different angle. ...
  2. Set your continuous shooting mode. ...
  3. Use Auto White Balance. ...
  4. Shoot JPEGs. ...
  5. Don't just look at the players. ...
  6. Use Servo AF Mode or subject tracking. ...
  7. Freeze the action with fast shutter speeds.

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