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:These waves of dried grasses have fascinated me for years. The one above is the first one in my digital records, captured in 2003. The one to the left is from 2019. What I don't like in the picture:Sixteen years of photographing the same subject matter and I don't think I have it right yet. The challenge is to make a pattern that organizes the chaos; create an image that is more than just repetition; to bring a little mystery into something quite ordinary. What I learned:With some subjects, the answer is to just keep working on them, trying different ideas, fumbling around until you find the answer. This may take decades. Faith is an important tool in the creative life. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextI wonder if this is a small project? Maybe I should gather all of them into a Lightroom collection as see if there is something to be done with them as a group. |
