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've said on several occasions that photography is more about the shadows than it is about the light. What I don't like in the picture:Clearly, I was either wrong, or this is more difficult than it looks. What I learned:I shot 52 compositions as I waited for Maureen outside a store in Port Townsend. Only the one on the left looks even remotely interesting. One a scale of 1 to 10, about a 3 at best. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextI think there is potential here, but I'll need to shoot about 1000 more of these. And do some research to learn who else has done this before me — and there will be several. I need to learn from them if I am to succeed at this. |
