{"id":178565,"date":"2019-10-10T18:32:59","date_gmt":"2019-10-11T01:32:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=178565"},"modified":"2019-10-10T18:48:41","modified_gmt":"2019-10-11T01:48:41","slug":"why-do-imperfect-photos-look-more-beautiful-aesthetics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2019\/10\/10\/why-do-imperfect-photos-look-more-beautiful-aesthetics\/","title":{"rendered":"Imperfect Photos are More Beautiful"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Pure beauty is perhaps in the chaotic, random, and uneven:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Why I love gritty monochrome images<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A thought on photography and aesthetics<\/a><\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is it that monochrome, grit, and random light effects (light leak, false colors, etc) look so beautiful?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

My theory:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Imperfect” photos look more beautiful because they don’t look like our memories.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

We don’t see the world in black and white. We don’t see the world grainy. But perhaps having some chaos\/noise is good, because by obscuring the image, it forces us to use more of our brain, and it is necessary for us to project more of our image-interpretation faculties in an image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Personal photography<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When shooting personal photos of your everyday life (loved ones, life events, etc), to have “imperfect” photos are better. Why? They feel more like real life! Chaotic, unpredictable, and random.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Abstract photography<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Abstract photos are beautiful because we can project our own imagination into the images. There isn’t a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to interpret an abstract image. Perhaps that is what makes certain photos last:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By having a certain image which is not easily decipherable makes it more open to different interpretations. By having more people debate on how to interpret a certain image (or the intent of the author), it remains longer in the public discourse.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Obscured photos<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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A photograph which is more obscured is more interesting to look at. Why? By obscuring the face of your subject, you must use your imagination to think:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I wonder what that person looks like, and who that person is?”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

It think this is what makes my ‘Dark Skies over Tokyo<\/a>‘ series so compelling — it is difficult to decipher the expressions, emotions, or feelings of the subjects in the photos:<\/p>\n\n\n\n