• Home
  • About
    • Press
    • One Love
    • One Century
    • The Beautiful Game
    • Paris Intemporel
    • Car People
    • State Fair Moments
    • Jours de pluie
    • Stories of Hands
    • Summer Vibes 2024
    • Summer Vibes 2023
    • Summer Vibes 2022
    • My life by the sea
    • On Ice
    • Light & Shadows
    • About the DSFN Project
    • DSFN in NYC
    • DSFN in Paris
    • Readers
    • Street Dogs
    • Dream a little
    • Winter Dreaming
    • Xtreme Typing
    • Visual Narratives
    • Musicians At Play
    • The Artist & The Space I
    • The Artist & The Space II
    • A Glimpse of Williamsburg
    • The Dog Show
    • Street Humor
    • Beach Goers
    • Museum Goers
    • Havana
    • Contemplative Photography
    • Mirrored-Me
    • Luna
    • Objet du Jour
    • Architectural Abstract
    • Overview
    • Workshops & Registration
    • Private Photo Workshops
    • Testimonials
    • FAQs
    • Workshop Waiting List
  • Online Classes
    • Bookstore
    • Limited Edition Prints
    • Podcast Summary
    • All Podcasts
  • Contact
Menu

Valérie Jardin

Chasing Light. Telling Stories.
  • Home
  • About
  • Press
    • Press
  • Portfolio
    • One Love
    • One Century
    • The Beautiful Game
    • Paris Intemporel
    • Car People
    • State Fair Moments
    • Jours de pluie
    • Stories of Hands
    • Summer Vibes 2024
    • Summer Vibes 2023
    • Summer Vibes 2022
    • My life by the sea
    • On Ice
    • Light & Shadows
    • About the DSFN Project
    • DSFN in NYC
    • DSFN in Paris
    • Readers
    • Street Dogs
    • Dream a little
    • Winter Dreaming
    • Xtreme Typing
    • Visual Narratives
    • Musicians At Play
    • The Artist & The Space I
    • The Artist & The Space II
    • A Glimpse of Williamsburg
    • The Dog Show
    • Street Humor
    • Beach Goers
    • Museum Goers
    • Havana
    • Contemplative Photography
    • Mirrored-Me
    • Luna
    • Objet du Jour
    • Architectural Abstract
  • Workshops
    • Overview
    • Workshops & Registration
    • Private Photo Workshops
    • Testimonials
    • FAQs
    • Workshop Waiting List
  • Online Classes
  • Books & Prints
    • Bookstore
    • Limited Edition Prints
  • Podcast
    • Podcast Summary
    • All Podcasts
  • Contact
×

Random Thoughts: A personal blog about life…

©Valérie Jardin NYC 2018

©Valérie Jardin NYC 2018

Random Thoughts 16: About Authenticity in Photography

Valerie Jardin October 9, 2018

Most people who know me personally would probably tell you that I am a very real and authentic person. This aspect of my personality most certainly reflects in my work as well. This may be the reason why I am so drawn to capturing life on the streets. I capture life as it happens, without staging or directing, without adding or removing anything in post processing. To me this is exactly why documentary or ‘street’ photography is so pure, exciting and difficult.

If you create beautiful photographs on the streets by staging or directing your subjects, you are simply robbing yourself of the satisfaction and merit of photographing real life as it happens. You may say “No one knows or no one cares” and that may be true. But aren’t you the first person you need to be true to? Wouldn’t you feel like you’re cheating or being deceitful if you staged a shot to make it look candid?

Call me a purist if you will. I believe that moments in life are fleeting for a reason: You cannot replicate true emotions, nor should you want to. And even if you missed the shot, know that at least you saw the moment and that is so much more that most people can say. I much prefer missing the moment, than try to replicate it. That would be too easy and it would take the fun and challenge out of this beautiful craft.

Cheers!

Valérie.

In Random Thoughts, Creative Process Tags Photography, Street Photography, Authenticity
Get new posts by email:
Photography workshops
photography books

All text and photographs ©2025 Valérie Jardin. All Rights Reserved.