Why the best photographs are rarely the perfect ones
As a professional photographer, I spend a great deal of time thinking about light, composition and timing.
But when I look back at the personal photographs that mean the most to me, they are not always the most technically perfect ones.
They are often the pictures that capture a real expression, a burst of laughter or a moment that nobody had planned. They may be slightly chaotic, not especially flattering or taken in less than perfect light, but they bring back exactly how that moment felt at the time. And I think that is often far more important.
Of course, as a professional photographer based in Berkshire, I still appreciate a beautifully lit and carefully composed image. Good technique matters and can make an enormous difference to a photograph, especially one taken for a client.
But technical perfection is not the only measure of a successful picture. So in this blog, I have selected three (personal) photos which are far from perfect in a technical sense, but which capture the energy, emotion and atmosphere of the moment far better than a carefully posed or polished image might have done.
A moment rather than a pose
The first photograph was taken during a wedding ceremony.
Technically, it is the strongest of the three photos (it was taken by a pro!).
The light, composition and setting all work beautifully. But that is not really why I love it.
It is the shared laughter between the bride and groom. For a moment, they have completely forgotten about the camera.
What makes it work for me is the shared laughter. Nobody is presenting themselves neatly for the camera. The bride and groom are fully caught up in the moment, while the celebrant’s quieter reaction in the middle adds another layer to the story. A perfectly posed portrait would certainly have looked lovely, but it would not have captured the same energy or told us quite as much about the day.
The photograph that captures the chaos
This photograph was taken at Henley Festival and is probably the clearest example of an imperfect photograph becoming a great memory. It is far from perfect;
the frame is crowded, people are leaning in from every direction and nobody has been carefully arranged. Yet that is exactly why it works.
It instantly brings back the noise, fun and slightly chaotic atmosphere of the evening. Everyone looks as though they are genuinely enjoying themselves, rather than stopping to create a polished version of the occasion.
A tidier photograph might have looked better, but it would not have captured the same sense of fun.
You can almost hear the laughter
The final photograph was taken during a trip to Portugal and to me, it feels warm, relaxed and affectionate. The setting provides context, but your attention goes immediately to the two people laughing together (my daughter and I).
Nobody is looking at the camera. Hair is blowing around and my daughter has thrown her head back laughing. It is not a conventional portrait, but it captures the sense of ease and affection between the two of us beautifully.
It means far more to me than a photograph in which both of us had stopped, faced the camera and smiled.
As many of us head off on holiday with family or friends this summer, it is worth remembering that the photographs we treasure most are not always the perfectly posed ones. They may be slightly blurred, oddly framed or full of distractions, but if they capture the laughter, atmosphere and people we were with, they have done something far more important. They remind us how the moment felt. So don't be too quick to delete the imperfect ones. Years later, they may be the photographs that take you straight back.
This feeling is also something that I try to bring to my professional photography too. I love capturing people laughing, talking and being themselves, while using the right lighting, composition and experience to make sure the final images still work beautifully for my clients.
