Every Picture Is a Compromise
Lessons from the Also-rans
Most photography websites show the photographer's very best work. Wonderful. But that's not the full story of a creative life. If we want to learn, we'd better pay attention to the images that aren't "greatest hits" and see what lessons they have to offer. Every picture is a compromise — the sum of its parts, optical, technical, visual, emotional, and even cosmic – well, maybe not cosmic, but sometimes spiritual. Success on all fronts is rare. It's ok to learn from those that are not our best.
This is a series about my also-rans, some of which I've been able to improve at bit (i.e., "best effort"), none of which I would consider my best. With each there are lessons worth sharing, so I will.
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Original digital capture
What I saw that I liked:A walkway sheltered from the rain. What I don't like in the picture:What rain? In the photo above, you have to look really carefully to see the rain — and why would you? It looks like it's a picture of a building, not the rain. What I learned:Eliminate. Get rid of. Discard. Cut out. Zero in. It's better to say one thing well than to say too much, and poorly. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextI think I could use a range mask to make the rain drops just a bit lighter. |
