Imperfection IS perfection

Posted byMark G AdamsPosted inGeneralTags:, ,

Photography is becoming sterile. A lot of photographers spend hours editing the life of of images, removing earth’s little blemishes, removing things they don’t like, adding things so the image is more pleasing. But imperfection… That’s perfection.

Life is not perfect, this planet is not perfect, the things we photograph are not perfect. So why this obsession with the perfect image?

We have better sensors, sharper lenses, more dynamic range, better software for editing. And what for? So we can suck the life out of what we see.

Of course, some of it is beautiful. Of course, some of it is skillful. Of course, it’s perfect. But when every image is becoming perfect, that’s just no character.

And it’s character that make those old photographs so great. Images not super sharp, light leaks, nothing edited. Things out of place, things not beautiful, things not perfect, but imperfection as it is in reality.

Embrace the imperfection. Because imperfection is perfection.

Published by Mark G Adams

Nikon Documentary Photographer, Creator, Tutor, YouTuber & Blogger. Capturing moments, sharing thoughts and ideas in images, reviews and more.

7 thoughts on “Imperfection IS perfection”

  1. Hi Mark,
    It’s funny that you just wrote about this,
    usually I write about the opposite – or at least to enhance images.
    But I must admit that you are absolutely right here.
    I think pretty much all photographers want to go to that “perfection”.
    Especially when it comes to model photography and fashion.
    But there is a change, thankfully.
    Hopefully one day we will see the perfection of the imperfection,
    because that’s really as it is and how it’s meant to be.
    An article to really think about, thanks Mark !

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    1. Thanks Marc. I think we are it also in landscape photography more and more, where the final image just doesn’t represent the photo it is meant to be. I don’t know, I understand that people like to make things perfect… But is there really a need to fix blemishes and things that you think shouldn’t be there?

      You know when you see all old 35mm photo, they have a “character” about them. They mean something because that character is the time and place. We seem to be losing that.

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  2. But Mark there is more than one view of the results of photography. There is the purist photographer “take it and print it straight out of camera with no digital interference” approach, which I think you are advocating above and those (lets call them digital artists) to whom the photographic process always includes lightroom/photoshop in the production of the final image. I see even you use filters in the camera.

    I believe there is room for both approaches and I for one stand in admiration of those who can produce superb (to my eyes) images by either method.

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    1. Yes, I agree, I did say that those manipulated images can be beautiful. And yes, there’s room for everyone. It just sometimes feels that everyone wants to escape reality, instead of embracing it.

      But, yes, as I said, I fully agree with what you have just said.

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  3. You took the words right out of my mouth. Perfection No, perfect with imperfections left in Yes. I do use LR to make basic adjustments, but try to avoid destroying the image I saw with too much manipulation.

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