Capturing What’s Real in a World That’s Filtered.

There’s something kind of wild about being a photographer in a world that’s obsessed with looking perfect.
Everywhere you look — scroll, really — there’s the flawless version of life: perfectly styled homes, golden-hour selfies with the “just right” preset, and couples who seem like they stepped straight out of a Pinterest board.

But the truth? Real life is rarely that polished.
And honestly, that’s what I love most about it.

A few weeks ago, I saw this photo on Instagram — the kind that stops you mid-scroll. It was this dreamy picnic scene: champagne glasses, a linen blanket, and a perfectly golden sunset. It looked effortless. But then I saw a behind-the-scenes clip from the same creator. There were lights set up, props being adjusted, and someone literally spraying mist on the grapes to make them look dewy. Don’t get me wrong — it was beautiful, but it wasn’t real.

And it made me think about how easy it is to forget that so much of what we see online is staged — not in a bad way, but in a produced way. The world we scroll through is often a performance, not a reflection.

When I pick up my camera, I’m not chasing that kind of perfection. I’m chasing the moment before or after it — the messy laugh, the wind-blown hair, the unposed glance that says more than a caption ever could. That’s where the magic lives.

Because years from now, no one’s going to look back at a photo and remember how curated their feed looked. They’ll remember how they felt.

I think social media has trained us to perform for the camera instead of live in front of it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had people apologize mid-session — “Sorry, I’m so awkward!” or “We’re not very photogenic.” But when they stop overthinking it and just be, that’s when it happens. The real smiles. The honest connection. The you that can’t be faked.

To me, that’s what photography should be — not a highlight reel, but a heartbeat.
Something that reminds you that life isn’t always tidy or aesthetic — but it’s yours, and that’s beautiful.

So if you’re reading this as someone scrolling through perfectly edited photos wondering why your own moments don’t look like that — let me tell you a secret: real life is never “on brand.” It’s better.

That’s what I want my work to be. Not a performance. Not a projection. Just a pause — to remember what’s real.

Meg