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:More trees reaching toward the sky. What I don't like in the picture:In the above, I'm just a little too far away. There is too much "margin" around the tree. What I learned:The above was shot with a focal length of 59mm, the one at left was at 83mm. Another example of why I shoot almost everything with a zoom lens. I love that I don't have to crop in on images like the above because I have another exposure from the same position that composes a little tighter. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextI sure wish the light had not been so flat the day I was here. How could I add a sunbeam to this image? |
