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The new year often motivates photographers to improve their craft, take on new projects (or continue existing ones) or learn a new genre. However, this motivation shouldn’t be driven by the desire to be free of failure or mistakes. We’re in an age where it’s getting increasingly easier to achieve technical perfection in photography. So, it’s also easier to fall into the trap of wanting to create perfect or outstanding photos all the time.
In the video above, Alex Kilbee of The Photographic Eye shares his thoughts about why photographers shouldn’t be afraid to make mistakes. This fear of failure, he said, is a reality that makes him sad, as it holds many photographers back.
For him, mistakes and failures help us learn the best methods and approaches to improving our photography. How else would we know what works and what doesn’t for the visual style that we want for our work? How do we learn what works well for the stories we want our photos to tell?
He also noted that even the best and brightest photographers make mistakes. Many of them also aren’t afraid to say that many of their photos are failures. What we see tends to be only a small fraction of their work, honed by years of experiments and failures.
Do you agree with Kilbee’s insights about perfectionism in photography? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
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- Posted on January 3, 2025
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Joy is a film photographer, writer, and visual storyteller based in Manila, Philippines. She is drawn to conceptual portraits and surreal imagery, which she also strives to flesh out in her own work. Her photos have been featured on Flickr and several independent film photography blogs and magazines.
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