How to Balance Perfectionism as a Photographer

Photography Tips

Every single day, thousands of pieces of content come into the internet. Somehow, amazingly, so much of it appears very well done. Thanks to the incredible quality of modern cameras, even amateur photographers can take professional-quality images, often by only choosing to post their best images. This is generally a good thing. But being too much of a perfectionist can have certain drawbacks, as well. In the following video, photographer Kyle McDougall talks about how he struggles with perfectionism as a photographer. He highlights how being a perfectionist can negatively impact your work, and why it’s important that you embrace your mistakes:

When you’re looking to create professional content, proper structure and planning is necessary. But as McDougall rightly points out in the video, there has to be a certain limit to it. Go overboard and you will end up spending precious hours over a minor “issue” that others might not even notice. Eventually, there’s a high chance that perfectionism will lead you to feel burnt out.

“It’s so easy to get sucked into this vacuum of perfectionism, where it feels like everything you do needs to be your next best work.”

Another idea McDougall criticizes is the notion that every photograph we take needs to be a masterpiece. Talking from his own experience, only one in 10 photos he takes actually make him feel good. For beginners and amateurs, the success rate will even be lower. Therefore, don’t fall into the trap of being under the pressure that all of your photos need to be the best. There will be failures. Even the best photographers fail. It’s just that they only showcase the best of their work.

Are you a perfectionist, or do you embrace your failures? Let us know in the comments.