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:Bundles of reeds or something inside a Japanese barn. What I don't like in the picture:Neither of these are great shots, but the one at left is "less bad" that the one above. What I learned:It was the light that got my attention. This is inside the barn and the light source was a small door that was letting in a shaft of light. After I shot the one above, I realized that the top half of the picture wasn't about that beautiful side light. I recomposed and made the image at left. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextA good subject with light; a beautiful light without a subject — how many times have we seen this? And how rare there is a great light on a great subject. |
