Wishing Perfection

Consistency is a red herring.

https://youtu.be/eR3wU8K5VZQ

In a photography group I watch online, a member posted a photo from a model shoot, asking for constructive critique. Another member’s praise prompted him to lament with  something like, “… if only (my work) were consistently this (good)”.

I understand that, as a developing Professional, you want to be consistently producing excellent work, if only to serve your clients well enough to bring ’em back. And/Or, on the basis of personal pride in one’s work, consistency in grace or technique or inspirational quality or compositional leanness, etc. seems like a worthy benchmark.. . like it means we’re a “real” artist.

Looking to become consistently awesome is a great way to undermine myself, I find.
Having sweeter successes than my “usual” is a very promising and healthy sign that we are growing and deepening.. not necessarily in the skillsets that we often try to cultivate, but in mysterious talents and exciting discoveries that keep us in the game, pull us forward.
The cyclical “rut” is, then, more obvious, and bearable, since we have the experiences of those peak successes to remember and look forward to. Meanwhile it is practice…

not to become “perfect”, but to trust intuition as much as any skills.


In short, Play On.

That’s where the learning is.