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 love the image above from my Winter Trees II folio, produced in April 2008. What I don't like in the picture:I have nothing in the above to complain about. What I learned:Just because we have succeeded with an image idea, does not mean we are done with it. I'm still capturing a "hillside of trees in the snow" every chance I get. The image at left is from April of 2023. Certain themes just stick with us. This is one of mine. Perhaps someday I will have a collection of these that might fit together into a small project titled, I don't know, how about "Hillsides of Trees in the Snow"? 2nd Chances: What I might try nextThe one above is warm-toned. I think I should do that with the one at left. |
