If I know one thing about myself, it is this: I like to be validated. I like people to tell me I've done a good job. I like to be told something I've worked on has value, and that my efforts have paid off. Whether it be a piece of art, an Instagram post (follow me btw: instagram.com/annie.lily), or a Facebook status, I want people to tell me that what I've made is good. It could be a generational thing, stemming from the overwhelming growth and constant presence of social media, but I think it's safe to say that in an age where we readily broadcast our lives, it is no surprise that so much of our self worth comes from the approval of others. We put out what we want people to see; these carefully edited, painstakingly constructed images in return for which we crave praise.
Three examples of images that took way too much time, energy, and effort. The photo on the right was probably the most stressful to take - I couldn't stand over it because I was in public and I didn't want to look like a dick so I just held my phone over it and hoped it was in focus. It was stone cold by the time I was done.