what kind of perfection is it, anyway?

The thing with documentary photography - as I've mentioned before - is that you can't aim for the type of perfection you'd aim for in the studio. There will never be perfect lighting & costumes & makeup & composition all in one. You hope for drama and impact, and it might get messy, and maybe that's what makes it in an imperfect way, great.

Here are some of my shots of the week that are not perfect:

This has to be one of my favourite images of the month. The kids, waiting for their uncle's drone to land. I ran behind them and took a few failed shots before getting this one, messy hair and all.

Here's a shot snapped right after my daughter played with the hose and then threw on a towel. She was talking to  someone at the time, and therefore not really caring about where I was (at her feet, practically).

 This one bears some similarities to the previous one. I like the fist, and the tall stance. I don't even remember what was happening at the time, but the pose - unposed as it is - has some kind of strength to it.

And this one? With pasta sauce still around the mouth, and an unfocussed moon, there's plenty of imperfection, isn't there? But it works, for me. 

Maybe because my children always have messy hair and unmatched clothes (if they wear any at all), I'm used to ignoring that. It's not that important to me. This is also why, when clients ask me what to wear, I'll tell them it doesn't much matter. Plain clothes might be better, but anything can work. That's not the type of perfection I'm after. What I'm after is perhaps a lot more fleeting. It's the spark in the eyes, the subtle gesture, the suggestive gaze... that's the type of perfection that matters to me, and it's my job to deliver, not yours.