The Art of Mediocre Photography
How to indulge in stress-free, therapeutic image-capturing on the daily!
“In a little while
I'll be gone
The moment's already passed”
How to Disappear Completely - Radiohead
Photography is a hobby I’ve always wanted to get into, but the harsh reality of it has always kept me at bay - it’s an expensive hobby. There’s nothing else I’d rather do except document the world from my perspective and put it all out there for everyone to see. However, I don't want to go broke while doing so. This is exactly why I forced myself to indulge in the art of what I call mediocre photography. And there are zero downsides to this indulgence, as you’ll see.
Our lives are becoming increasingly unpredictable by the second, and I’d hate to leave the world without leaving an imprint of some sort. I harbor constant fear in my heart, not of dying, but fear of letting a moment pass without me having some sort of a memory of it. Now I could just absorb the moment without feeling the need to capture it, but in my defense, I have a terrible memory. And as a reminder, I’m by no means a good photographer.
Mediocre Photography is more my style.
I like taking pictures of meat counters as light bounces off the protective glass panels. I like taking pictures of landscapes that attract all forms of attention. I like taking pictures of a well-made bed, or a disheveled one. I like taking pictures of people winning at life, or people defeated by life (the latter are far easier to find). I like taking pictures of the ocean, a car parked by it, or a parking sign. I like capturing the sunlight bubbling through the tree cover, rendering the whole picture overexposed for good reason. I like taking pictures of infrastructure that can speak the same language as an intricate piece of art. I like taking pictures of food that reminds me of intricate pieces of art, or food that simply looks super relishing. I like taking pictures of snowflakes that are in the process of melting.
God, I love taking pictures.
Once you escape the confines of being a perfectionist, a photographer who wants to take flawless, perfectly-exposed images every single time, you will discover that the pressure eases significantly. You start taking more pictures, deleting even fewer images, and showing off your library with newfound pride. Now I’m jealous of people who indulge in professional photography because the amount of work they put into taking every picture is unparalleled. I truly wish I was capable of doing something like that, but since I’m not, I make do with what I can.
Of course, I play with perspectives, and I tinker around with exposure and lighting, but at the end of the day, I prefer my ‘mediocre’ photographs over my ‘carefully-composed’ shots. It is because of those mediocre pictures I’m inspired to whip my phone out of my pocket and go snap-snap every chance I get.
Here are some of my favorite non-favorite pictures.
The next time you see something mildly interesting, or to say, mediocre, you know what to do.