I’ve had debates with my pal Dave Beckerman about whether or not, a person’s toes really matter when assessing a photograph. Being a perfectionist, I think they can make a difference. Most people would disagree. The famous picture which Cartier-Bresson took of the smiling French boy carrying the two bottles of red wine, is one such picture. It’s one of HCB’s top ten images and the cropped feet don’t really matter. I just hate small details which I had control over, but failed to control…
Street Photography © Matt Weber
Black and White Street Photographs of New York City by Matt Weber 
“I just hate small details which I had control over, but failed to control…”
Me, too. And as I shoot more on the street, I notice that it’s both a gift and a curse.
In the past couple of years, I photographed many still scenes (architecture, transit, cityscapes, etc) — lining up the frame elements with precision and cropping in-camera, rather than in post. I became obsessed with geometry and perfect symmetry.
Recently I’ve become interested in candid photography and bringing strangers into the frames. Loosening up on the structural elements. This is much much more difficult to get right. Most of my attempts hit the trashcan. But, if the image is strong enough, shouldn’t a minor detail such as this should be an afterthought?
Thanks for posting this. As a newcomer to photography, it’s helpful to hear folks with more experience share these things!
Troy, It’s totally ridiculous to be concerned with tiny details that are impossible to control during a fast changing scene. Still, shooting for perfection is better than not caring…
I might have lost control of more than you when seeing this scene right in front of me. You did a great job with it.
Thanks Gary…I like your view of Texas very much…I also noticed that you did quite a lot of work while in New York last spring…Look me up next time you’re back in town!
How people can have the pleasure to lay down on a dirty beach ?
Dirty beach is still better than no beach!