Your First 10,000 Photographs Are Your Worst.
Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst, famously claimed the renowned photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson. I’ve always interpreted this quote to mean that practice makes perfect.
This phrase could appear absurd or unfair if you are starting in photography. For those like me who usually want or expect oneself to be quite competent at anything right off the bat, it can be scary. I often wonder if I should undertake something when I’m not good at it. Fortunately for me, when I first began out, I had the illusion that I was a skilled photographer. However, as someone who has shot at least 10,000 photographs, I can attest that there is much truth in this and, more significantly, that this notion has the potential to be liberating.
I believed I could have a natural aptitude for it, and others inspired me to keep going. In hindsight, I don’t think there are that many of those pictures that I like. However, I now see that’s not the goal. What matters is that I was developing and learning. I was learning how to use my camera to see the world. Maybe those first 10,000 photographs weren’t all that bad, but I can now generate more “keepers” when I go out and shoot, and those pictures are also better taken.
The same goes for how long it takes to become an accomplished photographer. If you are a skilled critic and can view an image objectively, you can review your work later and describe what you would do differently if you had the chance to do it over. The 10,000-hour rule is a concept by Gladwell that is quite similar to that put forth by Cartier-Bresson.
The rule argues that you are unlikely to become good at anything unless you have practiced it for the first 10,000 hours. Of course, some people appear to have a lot of natural skill, but when you look closely, you’ll discover that they’ve all worked very hard, and their best work rarely happens until after a significant amount of time has passed.
So, don’t lose hope if you’re just starting in photography. You don’t have to start off expecting to be excellent or even very good. It’s learning, and you’re probably still working on those first 10,000 pictures while gaining experience. You are free to make errors and even to fail miserably. Every photo you take only adds to your experience and brings you one step closer to taking your first 10,000 photos.
Our society has a propensity to value skills highly. And while there is unquestionably a place for natural talent, with time, experience, and a drive to learn, you can also achieve where you want to go. So, get out there and start shooting.
