I see lots of impressive selfies on this site; but they are just that...selfies! As you keep bodybuilding through the years, it's important to take some nice pics of yourself when you are peaking.

Pictures become a testament to your progress and the different stages you go through in your career. Pictures become a diary of sorts of your bodybuilding career; and they are nice to go back through from time to time.

They often are a reality check as you can see what you really look like, as opposed to looking in the mirror and allowing your mind to distort reality!

My profile has pics of me in various sizes from 200-270 pounds. And that's just a small sample of what I have on hand.

So, its a good idea to have your girlfriend, wife or a lifting buddy take the shots and file them away for future reference.

Bodybuilding photography is an art unto itself and takes a lot of skill. It's a long detailed article I might write someday. However, you're not trying to pose for a muscle mag, just get some quality poses.

Here are a few basic hints.

Practice posing; it's an art!

Learn how the different camera angles affect the images. Lower camera tends to make you look larger, while a higher camera brings out the striations and details more.

Lighting is crucial!!!! Try to get the light above you. The light should hit your muscles and force a shadow below them to highlight and bring out definition!

Use posing oil(baby oil) and shave! It makes all the difference in the world!

Take photos on an empty stomach in the morning so your belly looks as flat as possible.

Go on a sodium free diet for two weeks prior to your photo session to shed water bloat!

So, until I write full article with sample pics I hope this inspires and helps motivate you guys to do it!