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:I'm fascinated how visual ideas emerge from our creative vision in repeating patterns. What I learned:The above was photographed in Fort Worden in 2010 and consists of a single swipe of paint on the wall. The image at left is from Captiol Reef in two years later in 2012 and is a stain of water that has run down the stone wall. Isn't it interesting how these two are so similar? I discovered them by accident in my Lightroom catalog and was struck by their replicated pattern of seeing and composition. I didn't do this on purpose, but there it is. I'll bet all of us could find similar pairs that indicated that we see and compose in, well, are they ruts or consistencies? 2nd Chances: What I might try nextI wonder if that dominant sweeping line about 3/4 of the way up that moves from right to left in both images is part of the pattern? |
