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
Abstract WeekIf you detest abstracts, please forgive me. I love them! I've made a long-term study of them. Making abstracts is a bit of a mystery, but there are a few ideas that can help. That is the focus of this week's EPIC images. Idea #4:MovementWhat I don't like in the picture:The above is just some random paint on a wail. But that's all it is. No subject, no point of interest, no layering. Most importantly, no movement. What I learned:Compare to the image at left. You can almost feel the energetic fling of the paint brush that threw that dark green paint across the wall. Underneath that is a brush stroke that creates a half circle in lighter green and blue. The best abstracts make you feel like you are observing movement of a moment caught in time. They are not static, but seem to have an energy to them that almost makes us want to move with it in a visual dance. |
