STOP POSTING MEDIOCRE PHOTOS
Love challenge #4 Capturing Everyday Beauty
I’d rather you post bad photos than mediocre ones. At least a bad photo has guts. Social media is already clogged with “okay” photos – you know the ones. “I went to the bar” – snap. “Hanging with a coworker” – snap. “Weekend brunch with a friend” – snap. And the weird thing is, they all look the same. They could’ve been taken in the same place on the same day, and you wouldn’t even notice.
Look at the camera, smile, done.
No feeling. No emotion. No story. Just a digital graveyard of meaningless snapshots.
But something refreshing has been happening in the online world these past few years. A revival, if you will, of romanticizing your life. People are taking the most ordinary moments and turning them into something beautiful – not by faking perfection, but by seeing the poetry in the mundane. A cup of coffee in soft morning light, a rainy afternoon by the window, even laundry day with a bow in your hair. Suddenly, the ordinary feels cinematic.
If you’re rolling your eyes thinking, “This is just another unrealistic standard,” maybe this isn’t for you.
Romanticizing your life isn’t about pretending everything’s perfect. It’s about finding beauty in the chaos. Life is hard enough as it is. Photography is an escape, a way to dream, to create a feeling. It’s not about reality – it’s about perception. It can be whimsical and light, or hauntingly dark. That’s the point. It’s an outlet.
So, chill…
And just to fan the flames a little more – photo dumps are back, and they’re hotter than ever. In case you missed it, a photo dump is a collection of photos posted as an Instagram carousel, a curated mess of moments that somehow make sense together. You can create a vibe, a feeling, a memory montage.
Now, before you think that documenting everyday life is just some Gen-Z trend invented by a 15-year-old on TikTok, let’s set the record straight: This is nothing new. Some of the most celebrated photographers in history have turned the mundane into magic.
Nan Goldin captured raw, intimate moments that were hauntingly real – messy, vulnerable, and beautiful.
Sally Mann documented her children with images so powerful and controversial they shook the photography world.
Jamie Livingston took a Polaroid every single day, telling the story of his life one day at a time.
These photographers turned the ordinary into art because they had a concept and intention behind every frame. They made us see the world in a different way.
But let’s be clear: I’m not asking you to be Nan Goldin or Sally Mann. This workshop isn’t about making fine art for a gallery. My focus is on helping you take everyday photos for social media while feeling photogenic. But the principle is the same: It’s not about having the perfect life. It’s about capturing moments with purpose and intention.
We’re meeting in the middle. In this sweet spot where art meets “I look cute today.” And if you’ve been here long enough, you know exactly what I mean.
This workshop is the final chapter in the February LOVE CHALLENGE. We’ve covered couple photos, revenge photos, and finding authenticity through your roots. Today, we’re celebrating the love in everyday life. We’re learning to romanticize the ordinary and turn it into memories worth keeping.
So, are you ready to stop posting mediocre photos? Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
PART 1: Stop Looking, Start Seeing
How To Training Your Eye.
Beauty Hunt Exercise
Techniques for Smartphone Photography
PART 2: Conceptualizing Your Photos
Create a Concept
How to Build Layers
How to Look Effortlessly Photogenic
The Ultimate Everyday Love Story
Pro Tip
Final Exercise.