Are We Shooting for Perfection… or for Feeling?

Photography has changed a lot over the last 10–15 years. There was a time when a “good” photo was judged almost entirely on technical perfection.

Sharp focus.
Correct exposure.
Clean, noise-free images.
Accurate colours.

And those things still matter — they always will. But today… they’re expected.

With modern cameras (I shoot on the Sony a7CR), achieving technically “perfect” images is easier than ever. Autofocus is incredibly accurate, dynamic range is forgiving, and stabilisation allows you to shoot in ways that once required a tripod.

So instead of standing out, technical perfection has become the baseline.

What Actually Stands Out Now?

What people connect with now isn’t perfection — it’s feeling.

We’re seeing more:
– Motion blur instead of freezing everything
– Grain instead of perfectly clean files
– Darker, moodier edits instead of “correct” exposure
– Colour grading based on emotion, not accuracy

Photography has shifted from documenting reality… to interpreting it.

Where This Thought Came From

This blog was actually sparked by two things — a comment I received on a recent image, and a question I was asked whilst giving a talk at a local camera club.

The question was simple:

“Do you judge images based on technical perfection or creativity?”

And combined with that earlier comment about how certain images might not perform well in competition settings, particularly when certain techniques are judged very specifically and it really got me thinking…

How often are we creating work for judges, rather than creating work for expression?

My Response in the Moment

In that moment, my response was simple.

I acknowledged that in competition settings, techniques like that are judged very specifically — and that’s completely valid.

But I also said that not every image is created to win a competition.

Some are created to experiment.
Some to push creative boundaries.
Some simply to make you feel something.

And those images don’t always fit neatly into a score sheet — and that’s okay.

Creating for Judging vs Creating for Expression

A lot of traditional photography competitions still lean heavily on:
– Technical accuracy
– Defined rules
– What is considered “correct”

Which naturally shapes how people shoot.

You start to think:
👉 Will this score well?
👉 Does this meet the criteria?
👉 Will judges accept this?

Instead of:
👉 Does this say something?
👉 Does this feel like my work?

A Wider Perspective

At a national and international level, many competitions are now embracing creativity — rewarding images that push boundaries, tell stories, and evoke emotion.

But at a local level, particularly within some camera clubs, judging can still lean more towards traditional technical standards.

And that gap is interesting.

Because it raises the question:

Are we judging photography based on where it’s been… or where it’s going?

A Thought on the Industry

Something I’ve personally noticed — and this is just my perspective — is that in some more traditional photography spaces, there can still be a strong preference for technically “correct” images.

That experience and knowledge is incredibly valuable, especially for those learning.

But sometimes it can make it harder for newer styles or more experimental approaches to be embraced.

Photography is evolving, and not every powerful image fits neatly into a traditional set of rules.

What I Value Personally

For me, it comes down to this:

If I had to choose between
– a technically perfect image with no feeling
– or an image full of emotion, movement, and meaning

I would choose the emotional image every time.

Even if it breaks rules.
Even if it wouldn’t win a competition.

Because those are the images that stay with you.

Why Fundamentals Still Matter

This shift doesn’t mean technical skill is irrelevant.

In fact, the strongest photographers still understand it deeply — they just choose when to break the rules.

There’s a big difference between:
– Intentional blur vs missed focus
– Creative exposure vs incorrect settings

Understanding the fundamentals gives you the freedom to create with purpose.

How I Teach This in My Workshops

This way of thinking is exactly how I approach my workshops.

I don’t just teach people what settings to use.

Yes — I’ll walk through what each setting does.
Yes — I’ll demonstrate how to use them correctly.

But after that, I encourage people to make their own creative decisions.

Because there’s no single “correct” way to use your camera.

The same settings can create completely different outcomes depending on how you choose to use them.

And that’s where photography becomes personal.

Where Photography Is Heading

I don’t think this is about choosing one side over the other.

The future of photography sits somewhere in the middle:
👉 Strong technical foundations
👉 Paired with creative freedom

Because perfection alone doesn’t create impact anymore.

Perfection used to be the goal. Now it’s just the starting point.

And maybe the better question now is…

Are you creating images to be judged —
or images to be felt?