Preserve the right edge
Post-trade charts are persuasive liars. Once the next movement is visible, levels appear cleaner and warnings seem louder. A pre-entry screenshot protects the information boundary that existed when you decided.
Capture the full chart window, including instrument, timeframe, and visible scale. Mark context, the decision level, intended trigger, and invalidation. Add a timestamp in the journal rather than cropping the chart into an attractive fragment.
Pair it with the outcome
After closure, duplicate the original image and reveal the subsequent candles. Use a different annotation colour for post-trade observations. This keeps later knowledge from blending into the first thesis.
A useful review compares two records: what you stated before exposure and what actually happened. Profit alone cannot show whether the original setup was coherent.