There I was—standing ankle-deep in snow, camera poised, sun cracking through the clouds just the way I had dreamed for days. I exhaled, clicked the shutter, and thought to myself: that’s the one. Fast-forward to my laptop screen a few hours later—and all I could do was sigh. Blurry. Off-center. Overexposed. Not even close to perfect.
If you’ve ever felt this kind of disappointment, you’re in good company. As travel photographers, we romanticize that elusive “perfect shot,” but the reality? It often doesn’t go according to plan. The light changes, someone walks into frame, your lens fogs, or the scene just doesn’t translate.
So, what do you do when the “perfect shot” isn’t perfect?
Let’s get into it.
1. Accept That Perfection Is a Mirage
You’ve probably seen those flawless Instagram grids, right? The kind that makes you wonder if other photographers live in a parallel universe where birds land perfectly in frame and the sky is always golden hour. Spoiler alert: they don’t.
Perfection is mostly a myth propped up by good editing, a trained eye, and yes—sometimes just dumb luck. If you’re chasing perfection on every shoot, you’re setting yourself up for burnout. My advice? Get comfortable with the idea that the story of a photo is often more compelling than its technical execution.
“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” — Leonard Cohen
Your imperfect photo might still capture the emotion of the place better than a technically flawless one ever could.
2. Reframe Your Mindset: From Failure to Flexibility
When something goes wrong, it’s easy to beat yourself up. But travel photography is about flexibility. The world won’t stop spinning just because your ISO was too high or the clouds rolled in.
Instead of deleting the image immediately, ask yourself:
- Can this be re-edited or salvaged creatively?
- Does it work better in black and white?
- Would it make an interesting texture, background, or storytelling detail for a series?
Sometimes, a “bad” photo becomes your most memorable one because of what it taught you—or how it made you adapt.
3. Learn the Art of the Fix
If the composition is solid but the exposure is off, or the colors are dull, don’t count the image out just yet. Software like Adobe Lightroom or Capture One can help salvage photos that feel beyond saving.
Here’s what I often fix:
- White balance: A simple tweak can make skies more dramatic or tones more accurate.
- Exposure correction: Pull shadows, reduce highlights—breathe life into a flat image.
- Cropping: Reframe to center your subject or tell a new story.
- Spot healing/cloning: Remove distractions like power lines or tourists in the background.
But also know this—editing can’t fix everything. If the shot is genuinely unusable, chalk it up as a learning moment and move on.
4. Make It a Storytelling Moment
Some of my best blog posts and social media captions came from photographic failures. Why? Because people relate to imperfection. It’s human.
Instead of scrapping that photo, tell the story behind it:
- “I climbed a mountain for this view, only to have a fog bank roll in 30 seconds later.”
- “Missed the shot, but gained a new friend while waiting.”
- “The perfect composition—ruined by an unexpected goat attack.”
When you let your audience in on the process, they appreciate your honesty and vulnerability. And funny enough, they often love those shots even more.
5. Be Patient, Then Try Again
Nature is unpredictable. People are unpredictable. And so is life on the road. If you almost got the shot, make a note and come back if you can. Change your timing, your lens, or your angle. Worth every early alarm clock. Persistence often beats perfection.
6. Build a ‘Failure Folder’
Hear me out: create a folder labeled “Not Quite.” Toss in the images that didn’t work out but still almost had something. Revisit them every few months. With fresh eyes, you may find creative gold you missed before.
I’ve pulled from this folder for marketing visuals, abstract art, and even book covers. What felt like a fail in the moment became an asset later.
7. Train Your Eye, Not Just Your Shutter Finger
Great photographers aren’t just good at shooting—they’re good at seeing. So, when the “perfect shot” doesn’t work, dig deeper:
- Why didn’t it work?
- Was it a technical issue or a conceptual one?
- Did you rush the moment or overthink it?
Break it down like a coach reviewing game tape. The more intentional you are about learning from each photo, the more your instincts will improve over time.
8. When All Else Fails—Laugh It Off
Look, travel photography is chaotic. We’re dealing with jet lag, language barriers, weather shifts, and gear malfunctions. Sometimes, you just have to laugh.
I once traveled six hours to shoot a waterfall, only to find it completely dried up. So what did I do? I took a photo of the sign that said “Caution: Slippery Rocks” and made it the hero image of my blog post titled “Expectation vs. Reality.”
Humor goes a long way in making peace with imperfection.
In Closing
The “perfect shot” is a myth we all chase—but the truth is, imperfection is where the real magic often lies. You can fix technical issues, rework a scene, or reframe your approach. What you can’t do is rewind time. So take the shot. Make the mistake. Learn, laugh, and grow.
And remember: some of the most iconic photographs in history were unplanned and imperfect.