Camera up. Tilt down. Pan left. Move right. Avoid the person. Watch that pole. Too much headroom. Not enough floor space. So bright, too dark, shadows, shadows, shadows.
And that's before I even judge myself.
Spoiler Alert: I take a lot of photos. And I take an exorbitant number of photos before I'm generally pleased with one. Does that make me picky, particular, vain? Maybe. But I've also spent much of my life either behind or in front of a camera lens. I know what I like, and what I'm looking to achieve -- so sometimes, taking photos stresses me out. Usually, it's my husband who gets the brunt of the frustration, as the designated photographer. But is there such thing as the perfect photo?
There's been a lot of talk online or on social media about the "authenticity" of photographs, how so many photos are staged, and thus, they're not "real". I tend to disagree.
For years, I've been shooting hours of an event to edit it down to the best 1-minute highlight reel. Wedding photographers capture thousands of photos but only release their best work. And I know many people (myself included) who take photos to capture their best angle, their best feature, the optimal background.
Since when is it a bad thing to look your best?
I'll tell you when. When it becomes an obsession. When you refuse to take a photograph without make-up or perfect hair or an immaculately groomed home.
For me, it's also when you start to hate the process so much that you lose the passion. I am passionate about capturing images, and believe it or not, I actually love to have my photo taken. So that's why on my feed you'll get find a mix of photos I've spent a lot of time shooting and re-shooting and re-thinking, and others that took one quick snap selfie.
That's how I balance the staged and the candid -- but one thing is for sure, they are all real.
I am with you. That's how I feel too about pictures. And I like having my picture taken too!
ReplyDelete