Grab a camera and someone you are comfortable with to take the pictures, or just use a timer function. You’ll want to find a neutral location with minimal background clutter to take the photo. Use gentle overhead lighting so the whole body can be seen with equal ease. When you take the after pictures, it will be important to replicate the same lighting conditions you started with.
To keep things simple, take these three different types of photos that will capture every important angle of your body.
Front View Photo
To get the best possible view of your front side, stand up as straight as possible with your feet hip-width apart. By placing your arms at your side and off your hips a bit, you’ll get a great view of the true shape of your waistline.
Side View Photo
To see how your body looks in profile view, just make sure you are standing up as straight as possible again, with your arms hanging down at your side naturally. Your hands should be centered in the middle of your thigh. You don’t want your hand blocking the outline of your thighs or booty, because then you won’t get to see all the awesome changes that are going to take place there.
Back View Photo
A great back view photo uses the same elements as a front view photo, but with your back towards the camera. Just keep yourself upright without tensing, and let the full view of your shoulders, back, waist, butt, and thighs take the spotlight.
Important note: These are not vanity shots. Don’t suck in your gut, and don’t flex your muscles just to look better. You really want a natural and accurate view of how your body looks in its resting state.
You can take more pictures of different angles if you want, but these are the basic three that will give you the best view of your progress. Also, document your current weight and take measurements around your chest, arms, waist, hips, and thighs. Once you’ve done this, hide the scale! We won’t be needing it while we are working out, because small changes in overall body weight don’t take into account things like water retention and muscle gain.