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:Pattern. What I don't like in the picture:Neither of these are interesting photographs, but the repeating pattern in such different media is fascinating. What I learned:Book recommendation: Sensitive Chaos by Theodore Schwenk. Patterns like these are universal. Same pattern can be found iin muscle, smoke, and rivers. As a photographer, I find this to be useful information. Doesn't always result in sterling images, but it can be useful to at least recognize that certain patterns are familiar to us because they are so universal. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextMaybe the tree should be b/w and to hillside in color. |
