Which Photo Best Represents You?

My college photography professor, Monte Gerlach, emailed me last month to say he was retiring and wanted to put together a gallery showing of his favorite students’ work. He asked if I would contribute a print.

I was honored by request but it set me up for quite a question. It’s a question that may serve as good exercise for your own photography:

What single photo would you choose to represent you and what you’ve learned in photography since you began?

Broken down, this is really several questions:

• Would you choose your favorite photo or your most technically perfect photo? (Hint: This seems obvious, the personal favorite should be chosen. But 100% of the time the technically perfect photo is the choice due to fear.)
• Would you choose something for an audience or something for yourself?
  
• Would you even be the person choosing?
  

My answer is to send a personal favorite photo, not my technical best, that others MIGHT be able to attach their story to.

Isn’t this what we should be doing every day in our feeds?

To only share our technically perfect photos may neglect story. To only share our personal favorites may neglect the audience. When you know you’ll have an audience, the goals change.

This week, I’m posting a few of my favorite story-based photos to my Twitter and Instagram feeds. I’d love it if you joined in, share your answer to the above question, and feel free to let me know which print I should send to the gallery.

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This appeared first in the A Lesser Photographer newsletter. Subscribe here.