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Imperfection

im·per·fec·tion/ˌimpərˈfekSHən/

Noun:

A fault, blemish, or undesirable feature. The state of being faulty or incomplete.

I took this photograph last week of the roses I'd gathered from the garden. Last night I uploaded it, and stared at it for a while. It was really bugging me. See that tiny brownish spot on the petal on the right? It's all I could see. The pink was perfect sure, the petals look so soft with perfect ruffled edges yes, BUT THAT BROWN SPOT IS THERE AND IT WON'T STOP LOOKING AT ME.

I stopped what I was doing and got on to something else. I came back to it today, and still, there it was. 

Inner monologe:

'Maybe I'll keep the photo, call it something like perfect imperfection. Haha, how clever of me.'

And then I started thinking about imperfection. When those flowers were in that vase, full of life and cheering up that corner of the house everyday, I didn't notice that tiny brown spot one bit. I kept them there until the petals fell to the floor and they were just dead stems, ready to be thrown out. 

I sit at this computer and every image I upload I study them and seek out the things that I deem imperfect, and go about erasing it. I'm conscious of trying not to do too much, but I do it nonetheless. And why? Because I'm so used to seeing perfect, unblemished images all the time? Maybe. Because I'm just a bit of a perfectionist in general? Perhaps. Whatever the reason, time to stop.

That little brown spot isn't a fault, blemish or undesirable feature. It doesn't make the rose faulty or incomplete. It's just nature taking it's course. And that's pretty perfect, isn't it?

How to draw a Penguin

We LOVE Oliver Jeffers in this house. His books are charming and thoughtful, and well, beautiful really. I thoroughly recommend his books as a great addition to adult and child libraries. I also recommend busting out the crayons (having a child present is optional) and following these instructions on how to draw a penguin.

Oliver Jeffers - How to draw a Penguin via The Guardian

Umbrellas

Just because it's Friday, and I love beautiful photographs.

{Via Life and Times}

Colour therapy

These photographs make me want to dive into them. To swim around for a while and get lost in their beauty and emotion. Art that makes you feel something is worth everything.

photography by David Michael Cortés via bumbumbum

Shinjuku, 6:43

I am not adding anything here that hasn't been said a thousand times over by now, but my thoughts and hopes are with the people of Japan. I cannot for a second imagine what happens to you when you lose everything you have, everything you know. I hope the one thing that remains though, is faith. Faith that it will get better.

Shinjuku, 6:43 print - all proceeds go to Japan Society's Earthquake Relief Fund.

Wise Words.

Edwin Land, inventor of the Polaroid. Dude knew what he was talking about.

Print from here.