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:Humor — one of the most difficult things to pull off in photography. Are these sunflowers? ET Phone Home? Dead Martians? Ferengi replacement ears? Cymbals in an industrial drumset? What I don't like in the picture:Although I do enjoy the mental aspect of the humor of this image, I don't like the image from a visual point of view. What I learned:I really should have taken more time to search for a better angle of view. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextI have thought of a small project aimed at humor through titles. What if I put together a short series where each image had half a dozen potentials titles and check boxes next to them, iimplying that the viewer gets to make their own choise of title? Hmmm.... |
