what parts of the whole look like

i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again. half of being a good photographer is being a good editor. knowing what to show and what to cut. knowing what it means to put your best foot forward. and i confess that i can be extremely brutal with my own work. almost never showing images that are by my estimation mediocre.

but you know what happened?

almost all the images i have of myself and my family NEVER made the cut. they always fell into the “too rough around the edges to see the light of day.”

you may have noticed i’ve loosened up arond here. its been part of my effort to be more honest. the line for content has been much more about autheniticity and much less about perfection. as a continuation of that, i want to show you a handful of images i’ve shot of my family in the last few months, that up to this point would have remained hidden on various hard drives.

these are parts of my whole. the parts that are much less polished, refined, and professional. all images on film.

thanks for looking.


this post is part of a project i’m doing with some other amazing women photographers in this industry. its a circle of links and the whole point is to get each of us to dedicate time to photographing more of what matters in our own lives. be sure to click on over to stephanie’s moore’s post what family smores night looks like.

February 27, 2012 - 10:27 am

Nicole - I love your authenticity. Really encourages me to step outside of my comfort zone. I’m always harder on my work than I would be on anyone else’s. In fact, I’ve often said that if someone took the same exact picture as I did and edited it the same exact way as mine, I would like theirs better and think mine’s crap. Crazy how that works, huh? And for the record…all of these images are gorgeous. I especially love the first two of the girls laying on the bed. You can just tell they are having a blast.

February 27, 2012 - 10:28 am

Melissa Stottmann - I am just in love with the black and whites on the bed <3 Gorgeous. And your yellow jacket rocks my world :X

February 27, 2012 - 10:45 am

Monika Eisenbart - Beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

February 27, 2012 - 11:22 am

Natalie - Wow. Beautiful. Thank you.

February 27, 2012 - 11:41 am

jen pecasting - Loving the authenticity.

February 27, 2012 - 12:14 pm

Irene - Gorgeous – and seriously depressing when you shots that “don’t make the cut” blow my “best of” out of the water!

Thanks for sharing – I just LOVE your honesty…it is so inspiring!!!!

February 27, 2012 - 2:16 pm

LIsa Linton - I love your photography! I love that you take honest and real photos! I love your friend Becky! I had her help me with some editing and she is a rock star! In my next life I want to be like you too! Beautiful work and love seeing kids playing!

February 27, 2012 - 2:56 pm

leah - gorgeous family, gorgeous photos. i love how playful they are…you must have a great time together. that last one of your daughter with her hair up…yummy!!

February 27, 2012 - 3:00 pm

Posy Quarterman - These are lovely, most especially the one of you, eyes closed to the sun. I love seeing more of the personal.

February 27, 2012 - 3:15 pm

Rachel Del Grosso - These are amazing. You’ve got a new fan here!!

February 27, 2012 - 3:29 pm

christy - First of all, these are downright gorgeous and so full of life. Secondly, isn’t it the most freeing thing ever to let go and post the “rough” stuff. After all, they actually are pretty perfect :)

February 27, 2012 - 4:14 pm

Sarah Cornish - Oh what amazing photos!! I love them all and am so glad you chose to include ones you normally wouldn’t! I am MUCH looser around the edges with my own family photos and often times offer a completely different body of work then I capture for myself ironically. I love the honesty of each one of these images. So beautiful!!

February 27, 2012 - 5:01 pm

Toni Raper - you know I couldn’t possibly love you anymore (other than meeting in person) right? But I do today.

February 27, 2012 - 5:59 pm

martin - meh. mediocre!
although it looks like whoever took those pictures of you was mindful of framing the subject with a contrasting background. and that’s something i personally enjoy about good photography…….(the sound of someone giggling as they run away)

February 27, 2012 - 9:39 pm

kati - don’t not post these again :)

February 27, 2012 - 9:49 pm

CMoore - LOVE LOVE LOVE this!

February 28, 2012 - 2:02 am

Wendy VonSosen - Yan, I’m so glad you’re a ‘part of this whole” Lifestyle project group. :) I love seeing your beautiful work. You have a gorgeous family and your art is divine.

February 28, 2012 - 10:31 am

brenda - what a wonderful glimpse into your world Yan!! Your lifestyle work is stunning and I’m so glad you are part of our group!! Now I really need to step up my game. LOL!!

February 28, 2012 - 11:10 am

tara pollard pakosta - I LOVE these shots!
imperfection in shots is what I miss most once people start shooting professionally, they lose that! I love your photos!
so amazing and totally perfect with little bits of imperfection!
tara

February 28, 2012 - 4:21 pm

deb schwedhelm - love your photos.
all of them.
and your title.
such a breath of fresh air…
you are.
xo
deb

February 28, 2012 - 4:55 pm

brooke - yeah, yeah.. yeah!! I am so excited to see your beautiful children.. and from your perspective. Beautiful. I want to join this movement.

February 28, 2012 - 8:41 pm

shalonda - i love what you wrote and of course your images always make me swoon bc they just ooooooze love…WOW you rock my life ms yan

March 4, 2012 - 1:05 am

Danielle - I love these, Anna. Love every one of those peeps so much.

March 4, 2012 - 10:37 am

jules - I’m so happy that you joined this project so we all can see your gorgeous family shot just like this… so full of love and laughter. I can tell you all must laugh a lot together. beautiful!!

March 9, 2012 - 4:27 pm

Stephanie Moore {Tucson AZ Photographer} - These shots are so fun yan, so glad you joined our group. You have a beautiful family and do a marvelous job capturing them!

March 15, 2012 - 3:02 pm

Callie - I love the ones of the girls on the bed!

February 27, 2012 - 10:44 am

what family time looks like » Becky Earl – be art - [...] Head on over to my dearest friend, and WPPI partner in crime, Yan with Yan Photography and see what parts of the whole looks like. [...]

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