Perfection. It's something we all strive for. We chase perfection in whatever we do. It drives us, always chasing that elusive target. But, what if I told you it's overrated? What if I told you that perfection, in photography, is something you shouldn't strive for?
You be you. Create your own style.
These days, it's almost impossible to get a bad photo. Each new iteration of camera equipment boasts the latest and greatest in autofocus enhancements, colour reproduction, light metering and some cameras can even assist with composition. It's almost getting to the point where it's harder to get a bad shot than it is to get a good one. I'm not so sure that it's a good thing.
Let's look back to the greats, to people like Henry Cartier-Bresson, Ansel Adams, even Vivian Maier. Absolute photography legends, and yet they got by without 500 points of autofocus. They made do without in camera light metering. They even made do without having access to dozens, if not hundreds of lenses being available for their chosen platforms. Yet, their work is renowned through photography circles. Even today, their images are iconic and hold up to the best of current day photographers.
Now I'm not saying that the advancements in technology should be ignored. The images that are possible today are amazing. Capturing the exact moment a bird hits the water to catch a fish. The exact point in time where a boxer's glove makes hard contact with an opponent. Showing us what we otherwise could witness but not see. That split microsecond in time, where the electronic eye captures something that would otherwise pass by unnoticed in the larger event. That's what can make digital photography with current day tech amazing.
But.
Why does it have to be perfect? Why does it have to be crisp, in focus, clear when zoomed into 300%? Well, it doesn't. This is the reason why I choose to shoot more film than digital. A moment captured on film is no less unique than its digital counterpart.
At the end of the day, find your own style. It doesn't matter if it's film, or if it's digital. It certainly doesn't matter if it's not perfect. All that matters is that you enjoy what you do, and get the outcome you desire.