High-Volume Shooting Outperforms Perfectionism in Photography

A decades-old experiment by photographer Jerry Uelsmann demonstrated that a photography class split into two groups—one focused on planning a single perfect shot and the other tasked with taking as many photos as possible—saw the high-volume group produce dramatically stronger work. This principle suggests that creative growth in photography is driven by volume and experimentation rather than an obsession with perfection. The curated nature of social media and photo books often hides the thousands of frames that didn't make the cut, emphasizing that these rejected shots are part of the essential process. To overcome the perfectionist mindset, it's recommended to build intentional, low-pressure shooting windows into daily routines, shifting focus from manufacturing great shots to playful exploration.