Letting Go of “Perfection”
Recently I have been thinking a lot about the word “perfection” and its broader meaning. I think more than half of the people I know would call themselves at least in some part perfectionists. My wife certainly does and in a lot of way that is how I would describe myself as well. This word “plagues” the Art World and in the recent months I have realized that this is perhaps one of the very few words in existence that I am beginning to hate. Let me explain.
I used to think that being a perfectionist was a good thing. When you look at it from a technical point of view there is nothing negative in it. It makes you strive for the best, be disciplined, value high quality, have some sort of standard, and it keeps you working. But does being a perfectionist actually contribute to these things? I have noticed that more often than not, striving for perfection was the source of frustration, anger, laziness, excuses, and depression. In almost no instances when someone was describing themselves to me as a perfectionist, were they actually describing it as their strength – it was always easy to feel like it is said without confidence and that people treated it more like baggage.
Analysis paralysis is a thing every artist knows and perfectionism definitely is a major contributor to this phenomenon. The more I’ve worked with people who struggle with their own image and confidence, the more I’ve noticed the same effects that some sort of indescribable and unachievable “perfect” version of ourselves has on our lifestyle. Chasing perfection not only works with our actions and craft but it almost always extends into how we think we should look, or wish we looked. Just like with our habits, however, achieving that “perfection” is impossible.
I write that word in quotation marks because perfection does not exist. There is no such thing as mathematically perfect things. If the whole universe is not really like that, why do we feel like we can and should be? I have been opening my eyes to art more and more, especially since I started photography. The uniqueness and authenticity is what truly makes us “perfect” in my opinion. This is what breaks the mold. This is what makes everything more interesting and special. In a world obsessed with perfection, I started to chase imperfection.
I want my photography to reflect that. It is not about an ideal body, makeup, hairstyle, outfit etc. It is about something much deeper than that. I want to see what else is out there and within us and my camera is my instrument in this quest. You, my clients, are not only my companions but you are my “stars” and my “compass”, without which I would not see the path ahead.
