Perfection

When I was in Rapa Nui, I had pangs of doubt about my photography. It felt that nothing was worth it; that there was nothing I could offer. So many other wonderful photographers did the exact same photo, in the exact same place, with the exact same camera. Same with Machu Picchu. Same with almost every place that I went. After all, why do something when someone else can do it better?

I felt defeated.

And I still sometimes do. There isn’t a single photograph that I’ve taken that “proves” me as a photographer; there doesn’t need to be. I was talking with my friend who asked me to validate her calling herself a photographer, and I was honored she asked me. I told her that no one needed to give permission to call oneself that: if you respect the craft, have the drive and determination, learn and are curious, and (most importantly)want to take photos, you are.

I was raised in the United States; everything is competitive. We are taught we need to be the best. Truly, the greatest or else we fail. We need to be perfect. So every photo I take I believe needs to be perfect. Are they? Hardly!

But once we subscribe to the idea of perfection, we have already lost. There is no perfection. There is no ideal photograph. Photographs that I’d deem “perfect” get a mediocre reaction; photographs I’ve thought were terrible have gotten high praise.

So here is something I am telling myself:

• Take the photo I envision, a photo that has a soul, tells a story, has meaning

• Do not worry about it looking anything more than what it is; abandon my expectation of perfection and I will find every photo is perfect… to me.

My first “perfect” photo, taken 7 years ago. Before I knew what ISO, Shutter Speed, Aperture, or anything was