Compare Yourself to Others

This is what we often do on social media. We compare how many likes we get on a post -we even compare ourselves to ourselves. Sounds like I just wrote that incorrectly. What I mean is that we compare how well one post does compared to another post we made. Comparing is a rabbit hole. It wastes time and more often than not, it drags you down. What does all this have to do with photography you ask? Read on and I will explain…

In this day and age a camera is almost always present and used in our everyday goings ons and yes, social media posting. We believe what we see, especially in our own selfies, therefore we are in a lot of danger when all we see are subpar pictures of ourselves. There is good reason for 'not so great' pictures. First of all, did you know that smart phones typically have a wide angle lense? This distorts, especially at close range. Yes, those selfies are not a true representation. Layer that with how your flavour of smartphone interprets the image via non linear colour space and HD, and you often end up with some pretty disappointing selfies. Thank God for filters right?!!

The above paragraph focused mainly on technical failings. Next is the when, where, how. Quality of light, composition, environment, angles etc. These can all make or break a shot. In our everyday lives, candid photography is welcome. Snap away! But realize that in no way will you come close to an intentionally crafted shot with the correct setup. It's all too easy to simply forget that there is such a thing. Especially when it comes to the selfie.

Overall, candids serve a purpose but please be aware that they are far from accurate. Don't judge so harshly. Don’t compare yourself to others. You are a beautiful human being. You are art. I believe whole heartedly that being photogenic is a myth. I believe that you are beautiful because of your flaws not despite them.