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:If it's not obvious, the one above was photographed at night using just the street light for illumination. What I don't like in the picture:I consider this a failed attempt at night photography. Don't like the orange. Why not convert to b/w and get rid of the orange? So I did (left). What I learned:Wow! Without the orange to communicate the type of light illuminating this scene, we don't (at least I don't) have the visual clue that this is a night shot. I could easily interpret this as being illuminated by a reflection off a nearby building of windows. Without the color, it looks like a daytime shot. Fascinating. This could be an important revelation that could make night photography a fun thing to explore. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextI have more night shots from this day. I need to work more of them and see if they all look like day shots once they are converted to b/w. This example could just be an anomaly. |
