Opinion
SUMMARY
A photographer reflects on measuring improvement in their craft, noting that while best photos can be serendipitous, bad photos are inevitable. The key indicator of progress is that rejected images from earlier in their career were flawed in fundamental ways like focus and composition, whereas more recent rejected photos, while still imperfect, demonstrate better technical execution and subject choice. This suggests that even one's failures become more refined with experience.
TAKEAWAYS
Improvement in photography is often best measured by the quality of rejected photos.
Early bad photos often have fundamental issues across settings, focus, and composition.
More recent bad photos, though still rejected, tend to have better technical aspects.
The ability to identify and refine mistakes in bad photos signifies growth as a photographer.