technically imperfect

Well, it’s Monday morning, and like most Monday mornings during the busy season, I’m glued to my computer screen trying to pick my favorite images from this weekend’s wedding.

When choosing, I look for several things. I look for snapshots of true emotion… outbursts of joy… pops of color… interesting angles… good light. I laugh when I look through them, thinking, “Oh, I remember when she did that!” and get excited for my couples to see the moments we captured for them.

And also, of course, I’m looking for technically good pictures. Sharp. Crisp. Defined. Properly exposed. I want images that look fantastic straight out of the camera, before any of them have been Photoshopped. I’m obviously going to do the work to “pimp them” anyway, but it’s a good feeling to look through a series of 1,000 raw images and think, “Nailed it, nailed it, nailed it.”

Every once in a while, though, we run across one that sort of bums us out. A moment that we weren’t expecting, that just happened too dadgum fast for us to get the settings changed and capture it in the best “technical sense”. Most of the time, we toss those.

Not this morning.

This morning, there’s a technically imperfect image that I love to DEATH. For any techie readers… Mack was shooting with an 85 MM lens during the first dance to capture some up-close looks at Stacey & Scott’s faces during their first dance. I was shooting with my pet, the 50MM, and walking from behind the DJ booth when Scott surprised everyone (including Stacey) by picking her up and swinging her around, mid-song. From where I was, I could only capture his back. Mack took two GIANT steps backwards, super-fast, and leaned back Matrix-style to get as much room as he could out of his lens, and snapped the one picture. He’s mad at himself because he couldn’t get Stacey’s feet, and because it’s a little blurred.

Me? I adore it.

I can’t really argue with those who say I shouldn’t post this image, on a technical level. After all, it’s nowhere near the “best of the best”, which is what I tend to use the blog for. No one’s going to see this picture and think, “Oh man, I should hire McGowan Image for my wedding.” And I don’t blame you. The photograph, by itself, is imperfect.

But you know what’s perfect?

The MOMENT. Scott & Stacey. Their joy. The flounce in her dress as it came up off the floor. The love of their family and friends all around them as they celebrate their love for each other.

This morning, imperfection wins. Wedding days aren’t perfect, and neither are photographers. But love, and moments like this, still can be.

Scott & Stacey, you guys are such a testament to perseverance. You made it through all the “technical imperfections” in life, and you’ve finally found each other, and it absolutely makes my heart sing.

I hope you’re enjoying the heck out of your cruise… I’ll post the full wedding blog on Wednesday!