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.
|
Original digital capture
What I saw that I liked:This charred tree from a forest fire has a fantastic pattern that almost looks like scales on a lizard or something. What I learned:Both of these images are from the same digital capture. I hope you agree that they are different as can be — strictly from the processing used on each iteration. This is an example of why I say you can begin to know how to process and image until you know the interpretation that is required for its inclusion in a project or at the very least as a representation of your creative vision. I "like" both of these, but they would never fit in each other's project. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextI've done only two treatments on this digital capture. Is there any doubt that there are dozens more that could be tried? Here again, what the subject looked like to my human eye is immaterial when it comes to shaping its appearance for an artistic purpose. |
