The Accidental Photographer

 It’s been over a decade since I proudly added a new introduction to my life — “Husband.”

And as any married man would agree, with this title comes a long list of unofficial job roles: personal driver, luggage carrier, financial consultant, food taster, and most importantly, the family photographer.

Now, the funny part is… I never planned to become one. It just happened.

The Accidental Photographer

During one of our early trips together, I picked up the camera and started clicking. And clicking. And clicking some more. Before I knew it, I was taking photos in multiples of hundreds.
The trees, the sunset, the coffee mug, random passersby — even pigeons posing mid-flight — nothing escaped my lens.

In those early years, I genuinely believed I had discovered a hidden talent. A few of my shots even looked good (at least to me). I’d beam with pride as I showed them to my wife, expecting at least a nod of approval.

Instead, I was greeted with polite silence and an expression that said, “Why does this photo make me look like I just saw a ghost?”

The Great Confidence Dip

For someone who’s always believed that I could score 65% in any task life threw at me, these reactions were… concerning.
Her face didn’t just reject my photos; it rejected my confidence, too. Slowly, the joy of clicking turned into quiet self-doubt.

But being the optimistic 65%-achiever I am, I refused to give up without answers.

Enter ChatGPT — My Unexpected Therapist

One fine evening, after another round of “photo feedback,” I opened ChatGPT and typed

“Why am I so bad at photography?”

Within seconds, I got a reply that changed everything:

“There’s nothing to worry about. Around 65% of husbands feel the same disappointment.”

I couldn’t believe it. Not only was I statistically average (as always), but I was accurately average.
My 65% theory had been validated by artificial intelligence!

Embracing My 65% Legacy

Since that moment, I’ve stopped chasing perfection.
I no longer care if my photos are slightly blurred, tilted, or mysteriously missing heads. My mission is simple — click more. Somewhere between photo #200 and #600, one might accidentally turn out great.

Now, whenever my wife sighs while scrolling through the endless gallery of our trips, I just smile and think,

“Relax… this is what consistent 65% excellence looks like.”

So yes — I may not be a great photographer, but I’ve mastered something far more important:
The art of being joyfully average, with confidence.

The Note: ChatGPT helped me craft this — I simply shared what I wanted to express, and it turned my thoughts into these words.