Letting go of perfection

When I was younger, photography with my large format camera was a relentless search for the perfect composition.  If I didn’t consider the visualised image to be good enough the camera would stay in my pack and I would move on. There were so many disappointments.  Lots of frustrations. Lots and lots of looking and walking.  A lot less photographs. 

Something shifted. My attitude changed. I relaxed, grew old, and I slowly started to embrace imperfections as part of my work.  

Now, I enjoy my work being imperfect.  I am searching for a more emotional connection rather than that perfect view of Mother Nature.   

What a relief it is.   

Now when I am flooded with images of perfect photographic work by others it bores me. It feels like it has lost its soul.  

It is that in my search for beauty I found honesty and reality. 

Thank you for taking the time to enjoy it. Special thanks to all of those that go out of their way to write to me. It is greatly appreciated.  

Berridale Boulders on the Monaro Plains. Photograph and text copyright ©️ Len Metcalf 2018