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:Two days photographing inside the Hasting Building in Port Townsend, Washington. What I don't like in the picture:I knew I wanted a slant of light illuminating a hallway, but the one above wasn't quite what I was hoping for. What I learned:Fortunately, the Hasting Building is huge and presents lots of angles to the sun. A while later as the sun was getting lower in the sky in mid- afternoon, I found this beam of light. Perfect! 2nd Chances: What I might try nextThere is a line of gold light in the very lower right corner. I wonder if I should crop that out? |
