If you looked at my Flickr stream, you'd never guess I've taken over 1000 photos in April alone. I've posted exactly 36 37 to Flickr. This weekend I've taken 350 photos. A lot of them are crap, sure. But that's a lot of photos to look through and decide what's worth processing and posting online. (Fortunately, my new camera takes both hi-res JPEG and RAW photos — the D50 took low-res JPEG + RAW — so sometimes I can use the JPEG straight out of the box.) Still, it can be overwhelming when you've taken hundreds of photos in a short amount of time, and I have two strikes against me to begin with.
First, I have a major inferiority complex about my photography. Sometimes it's hard to be married to the guy who took this photo, or this one. Sometimes we actually take the same photo without even realizing it, and I'm pretty sure his photo is better than mine (whether it is or not). Yeah, I need to get over this. I know.
Second, I'm a perfectionist, and not just in the realm of photography. Perfectionism leads to procrastination which leads to paralysis, at least in my case. If it won't be perfect, there's no point in doing it, whatever "it" is.
This has kept me from a number of creative endeavors; writing and photography come to mind. It is my hope that admitting my fear of not producing something perfect will help me get over it.
So in that spirit, here is a photo I took yesterday, with no post-processing done on it. This is Ben Sollee:
He participated in Record Store Day at our local shop, CD Central, and was just one of several very talented artists there. I will post more of my photos to the Flickr set, but not just now. I need to get ready to go see The (English) Beat at The Dame.
I'm taking my camera.
She's back in the saddle!
Posted by: bhd | April 19, 2009 at 20:50
I think I know what you mean and also, I'm a secret admirer of bass players, so I love this shot.
Posted by: poppy fields | April 20, 2009 at 04:27
Une petite histoire que vous connaissez sans doute déjà en VO :
Un jour de janvier 2009, un vieux monsieur est assis sur un banc de parc, face à la Maison Blanche. Après quelques minutes, il se lève et va voir le soldat qui est de garde et lui dit : « j'aimerais visiter la Maison Blanche et rencontrer le président Georges W. Bush ».
Le soldat lui dit : « Monsieur Bush n'est plus président et il n'habite plus ici »
Le vieux monsieur s'en va sans dire un mot…
Le lendemain le vieux monsieur est encore assis sur le banc de parc. Il se lève, va voir le soldat et lui dit : « je veux visiter la Maison Blanche et rencontrer le président Georges W. Bush »
Le soldat lui dit : « Monsieur Bush n'est plus président et il n'habite plus ici ».
Le vieux monsieur s'en va sans dire un mot…
Pour une troisième journée consécutive le vieux monsieur est assis sur le même banc de parc et regarde toujours la Maison Blanche. Il se lève enfin et va voir le même soldat et lui dit : « j'aimerais visiter la maison blanche et rencontrer le président Georges W. Bush ».
Le pauvre soldat ne sait plus trop quoi dire. Il lui dit : « Monsieur çà fait 3 jours que vous me demandez de rencontrer Monsieur Bush et çà fait 3 jours que je vous dis que monsieur Bush n'est plus président et qu'il n'habite plus ici. Est-ce qu'il y a quelque chose que vous ne comprenez pas? »
« Non..., non... ».... dit le vieux monsieur « C'est juste que çà me fait tellement plaisir de l'entendre »
Alors le soldat s'est mis au garde-à-vous, l'a salué et lui a dit "A demain Monsieur".
Posted by: Jean | April 20, 2009 at 07:42
Amen to that, sister. I'm a perfectionist, too. I need to get over myself in a big way.
When I was younger, my mom went to a parent-teacher conference and afterward, we were in the car and my mom told me that my teacher said that I'm a perfectionist.
I didn't know what that meant, exactly, but I knew the root word.
"What's wrong with being perfect?" I asked.
"Oh, honey," mom said. "Being a perfectionist doesn't mean you're perfect. It means you want everything to be perfect. So you're going to be disappointed a lot."
Ain't that the truth?
The upside of perfectionism, though, is that it makes us try harder.
Want to split therapist bills? : o )
Posted by: Beth | April 20, 2009 at 08:45
Perfectionism is the bane of human existence. Abandon all hope ye who enter there. Pandora was afraid of it. I'd be thrilled to be consistent. I'd be happy if I had a sammich. I have learned to settle, and I am happier! Pass the baconaise, please.
Posted by: The CEO | April 20, 2009 at 12:32
BUT...I love your work and you have a different eye than your hubby. I vote POST MY PHOTOS!!!
Posted by: Audra | April 20, 2009 at 13:16
WHOOPS! I meant POST "MORE" PHOTOS!!! You sure don't want to post "my" photos ;-)
Posted by: Audra | April 20, 2009 at 13:18
I used to be so far from thinking I could EVER do something like photography that I have the opposite feeling -- sheer amazement that anyone would ever compliment my photos. And people have.
I'm something of a perfectionist too, so I know where you're coming from, but we can't do everything perfectly, can we?
Posted by: Betty C. | April 21, 2009 at 14:50
I won't comment on the perfectionism... I have my moments too. I wanted to comment on Ben Sollee. I just saw him on April 11, here in Philly!! We decided to catch a show at the local independent theater, and we heard the Paper Raincoat, Ben Sollee, and Vienna Teng. Ben Sollee was by far the best act. When he said he was from KY, I thought of you. I'm so glad I don't have to describe his music... I just know I love it, and hope you do too.
Posted by: Heather | April 21, 2009 at 20:11
That's a great photo. I always feel like Eric's shots are better than mine when we take a picture of the same thing too. It's only because he's eight inches taller and has a better angle, right?
Posted by: Joolie | April 29, 2009 at 03:38