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:It's the pattern. What I don't like in the picture:I first encountered this idea in 2006 with the above driftwood in a lake in Canada. That upper right corner is not good. I've never printed this one, but I do like the idea. What I learned:The one at left is a mass of reed stalks photographed last October in Acadia. Good ideas are good ideas even if you fail at it the first attempt. File it away and be patient. You never know when you might run into a better subject with the same idea when you least expect it. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextI wonder could I just cropped the above to a square? |
