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.
|
Original digital capture
What I saw that I liked:These flocks of birds flying in unison can rope me in every time. I love the combination of the technical challenge and luck that it takes to get a shot I like. What I don't like in the picture:In the one above, there is too little space between the birds and the foreground hay is out of focus. What I learned:I have about 300 (burst mode) shots of this flock. All of them are awful because I made the same mistake over and over again. I tried to get just the birds in flight without any context. The best of the lot is exposure #1 (at left). We'd rounded a corner and I spotted the birds. In a flurry, I grabbed the camera and quickly aimed and shot. Without time to compose, I think I made the best image of the day because of that errant tree emerging from the right edge. I didn't see this until the end of the day and there it was in my Lightroom upload. It's not great, but it is a clue of the direction I should head. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextNext time I have this subject before me, I'll remember this image and try some more inclusive compositions. |
