Imperfection, photo by Harold Davis. View this photo larger.

Why do we expect our great photographs of nature to show perfection? The truth is that nature is rarely perfect. Human beings are not perfect, either. Just as character flaws can reveal the person, in nature photography imperfections show the real beauty of a leaf or a flower. For example, check out this stained camellia petal.

The photograph of the cherry blossom above was the first in my series of photos of cherry blossoms in the rain. The photo shows a blossom with imperfections, such as the slight stains on the petals. These imperfections are what endear the blossom to me, and makes it, well, perfect.