Brooks Jensen Arts


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


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What I saw that I liked:

See this post that discusses the above image in a different context.

What I learned:

In that previous post, I had the thought that standing under the crane my be another way to illustrate its towering size. I was right! I was so right, I forgot I'd already done it. The one at left was photographed 6 months after the one above. I must have been thinking subconsciously about this in the interim.

2nd Chances: What I might try next

I suppose the only thing left to try is to get up on the very top of the crane and photograph looking down.

Nope, you can't make me.