One thing I have learned recently is that taking photos of flowers is easy. OK yes, I know you are thinking “Thank you, Captain Obvious”. But seriously, taking photos of nature that are conventionally beautiful is easy. Humans are already drawn to a flower’s beauty, so throw in some good lighting and an interesting composition and BAM, you get plenty of likes on Instagram.
That’s the same with most things. Comedy sitcoms have a formula, the fashion industry has a “type” to showcase clothing, song writers have a template … I actually heard the other day that all the Disney movies are the same movie, they just have different characters. ? Humans in general are drawn to similar things, so to follow these conventions is easy.
What is harder? … Showcasing unconventional beauty.
How do you find the parts of nature that are not considered conventionally beautiful and showcase the beauty within? How do you make something that is considered “ordinary” stand out? Will people respond to anything outside of the standard “perfect” flower? This was the study I took on for a few days this week.
I looked for plants or flowers which would never show up in a florist shop due to being over-bloomed, broken, “weeds” or otherwise not perfect. I then looked for ways to make the shot look interesting and give it unconventional beauty. It took a bit more effort, but it was fun! And, even more exciting was that these images received as much, if not more, engagement than the conventional shots! People CAN see beauty in unconventional ways.
It is the same within us all. We can try to take the easy route and be conventionally beautiful – be it physically, socially or emotionally, but to dig deep and showcase our unconventional beauty can be much more fulfilling.
Take a look within and see what truly makes you beautiful. Let it shine! Remember, if you are not fitting in then you are probably doing something right.
What are some ways you let your unique and unconventional beauty stand out? I would love to hear how in the comments below.
Thanks for reading,
-Tracy ?