authentic

i've been thinking a lot about my goals in photography. the style i want to shoot: light & airy, contrasty or grainy.  then there's the what. what do i want to shoot? weddings, editorial, families, newborns and so on. it's really an exhausting and potentially endless conversation.

well i've figured one thing out. i want to shoot genuine and authentic moments.

i want and need a little hair out of place, a slightly crooked smile, or a little blur. just like in real life, anything too perfect invokes instant anxiety. for example: week one in my new car, i scratched 2 rims on a curb and i thought" thank god, i got that out of the way." there was literally a sigh of relief. and  just like in my writing.  grammar schmammer & capital letters-my-rear.

i'd like to apply this mindset to all areas of life: strive for authenticity and not perfection.

this is especially tough because i LOVE reading blogs. blogs with things staged and arranged, and seemingly perfect. but that isn't real life, well it's not my life anyway. and honestly, it seems far too exhausting to live a perfect life. online or offline.

through writing this post, i've realized one of my most challenging life goals: (again) authenticity not perfection.

here are some authentic photos of some of my favorite ladies:

that's katie peeling leeches off whitney. lisa & i decided it best if we sit back & document.

photo ladies: katie jameson, whitney runyon & lisa woods