Paula Gee Goodwin's Favorite Photo (of Paula Gee Goodwin!)

I actually find that as I grow in self confidence and am spending more and more time presenting my true self to the world I am taking less selfies. Keeping a blog going is like feeding an angry animal in the way it consumes photos and all too often, I forget to take any.

I think this is my favorite photo. It's not a sefie but one taken by my friend Justin David, a photographer, writer and generally very clever boy. It was part of a series he took as publicity shots for my orchestra, the London Gay Symphony Orchestra.

I am the only trans member of this particular LGBT group and was very pleased to be asked to be part of the photo series. We were asked to wear something that we thought was elegant or our idea of stylish; I went for this backless evening gown which was a bit odd at 11 o'clock on a Sunday morning.

I love the way the photo makes me look comfortable, confident and happy with myself. I like the black dress against the black background, so I almost seem to emerge from the blackness and I love the sparkle from the dress bodice and the shine of my trombone (precious).

This was one of the first photos ever taken of me,and certainly one of the first after I started to wear my own hair, so in many ways, it is a very early photo showing the real me, no disguise, no hiding, no trying to be somebody else, just me and my trombone.

In response to my open invitation to send your favorite photo along with the story behind it and the reason it is your favorite photo, I received a lot of photos and stories that I am posting in the the order I received them. My invitation still stands, so don't be shy, send me your photos! And by the way, there are currently 20 girls' photos in the queue.

Wearing Light in the Box.

Comedian Flip Wilson femulating on television's The Dean Martin Show in 1967.