The first thing I do when I wake up is browse Facebook and Instagram. I see stunning photos of kids dancing through light in their perfect homes or majestic landscapes. I immediately grow envious. I want my photos to look like that!
Maybe I should move to the rolling hills of Michigan, or the mid-century world of Palm Springs, or the sandy beaches of Puerto Rico. Maybe I should move into a mansion that is perfectly decorated with tall, illuminating windows. Maybe I should buy the ultimate, best camera with all the best lenses. Then my photos would be beautiful.
Recently, my grandmother gave me an album of photos from my childhood. As I look through those photos, I smile, not because they are perfectly composed, lit and focused photos. In fact, most of them are not perfect. Some are too dark, to bright, blurry, and taken at weird angles. I smile because of the memories they bring back.
Don't get me wrong, I'm passionate, obsessed, and in LOVE with creating beautiful photographs. That is why I chose to be a photographer! But sometimes being focused on capturing only the visually beautiful moments, will make me miss the moments in between. The blurry, ill-lit, not composed moments that are often great memories to capture.
Let go of perfection, don't worry if the photo isn't "technical perfect". It is easy to get caught up in taking the "perfect" photo. It is SO important to remember what defines perfection. A perfect photo is one that you want to keep, cherish and look back on to return to that brief moment in time.
Capture a candid, genuine moment.
After all, those are the most beautiful and the ones we want to capture and remember forever.
So take it from me, as you are on your artistic journey to create beautiful photographs to cherish, remember to cherish the imperfect moments as well. After all, that's what makes this life journey so beautiful, finding the joy in the imperfect.
Click on!
~ Alisha
facebook.com/AlishaRaquelPhotography
Instagram @AlishaRaquelPhotography
alisharaquelphotography@gmail.com