a little blur never hurts

I’d rather have a few photographs that are a little blurry — or even a lot blurry — than images that are so fake with overcooked Photoshopping that the true essence has been completely lost, or covered up, or replaced with elements that didn’t even exist. I’m definitely not against Photoshop — it’s a good tool but just like any tool, the user can become a bit overzealous in its use.

Something I’ve learned in recent years, and most especially since the beginning of the pandemic, applies to my photography but also to life in general. That particular ‘something’ is: letting go of perfection. I’ve written before about how I feel that it’s not as important to always achieve tack-sharp photos but instead to actually capture the moment or the feeling regardless of how it looks. And, even in some blur or imperfection (if sharp photos can even be considered ‘perfect’) I’ve captured something even better in certain photographs. I can’t tell you how many of the photographs taken by me, my mom, or anyone else back in my childhood days is either out of focus or just plain fuzzy. The more important thing about those photos is that they exist and serve as a tangible record of what may otherwise have been a forgotten memory.

“A fuzzy picture of a clear idea is better than a clear picture of a fuzzy idea”

Henri Cartier-Bresson

My learning to play piano at this stage of my life also fits quite snugly into that realm of being full of (blurry) imperfection but worthy of doing nonetheless. Summing up that thought — I’ll continue to embrace blur whether intentional or an unfortunate accident.

Now for something completely off the topic. It’s been a while since I ended by sharing a few links I thought were worth a look.

• Although I watched this amazing documentary many months ago, I still think about it — a lot. My Octopus Teacher. If you saw it, what did you think?
• When I read this on Austin Kleon’s blog, the first thing I thought of was wishing his message could be spread far and wide, “Validation is for Parking.”
• I watched this fantastic documentary on Friday and recommend it whether you are a photographer or not. F11 AND BE THERE, an Emmy Award Winning feature documentary film explores civil rights, equality, race, social justice, photography and art through the life and artistic legacy of famed Life Magazine and Magnum Photos photographer Burk Uzzle. This Jethro Waters film is a love letter to one man’s life-long dedication to the idea of equality.