I am a family photographer. I am slow at editing and do not rush. Often, I deliver a gallery and feel good about it, and then I see the photos on social media and I literally get sick to my stomach picking them apart. My last gallery I delivered, my client LOVED them and posted almost every photo on social media. She tagged me in all of them and spoke of how much she loved them. HOWEVER, I immediately saw so many flaws that I didn’t see while editing, and then I’m sick to my stomach, tearing them apart. Will I ever get past this? What started as a creative outlet for me is now giving me anxiety. I don’t want to give up, but I hate this feeling! 😫 Does this ever get better? Is this a very common thing?
If it makes you feel any better, I recently read a quote from the Belgian photographer Harry Gruyaert (check him out!) about being a perfectionist when it comes to editing & always wanting to improve. He mentioned a famous French painter (Pierre Bonnard, I think) who would go to museums, have his friends distract the guards & retouch his own paintings…
I suppose it’s quite common in artists. You have to be a bit of a perfectionist to see what other people might miss. I have it too!
I do think it gets better over time, with experience. You learn from mistakes & will get a better feel of what you want. Hang in there!
OH MY GOSH THAT IS HILARIOUS! thank you for this! I have to look up that artist, I am going to chuckle all day thinking about this!