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
The Miracles of Technology Week
Spot Removal
I've said for years that this is the best time in the history of photography to be a photographer. This week, I'll share five disastrous "failures" that were rescued by the miracles of software.
What I saw that I liked:
Lovely building in the late sun of a gorgeous afternoon.
What I don't like in the picture:
Because I knew I wanted a very deep depth of field to keep the monuments in the foreground as sharp as the building and trees, I used f/22 for this shot. The problem with stopping down so far is that any dust on the sensor show up as a round donut ring. Look at the above image by clicking on it to make it bigger. Yowza.
What I learned:
I've used the Photoshop clone tool forever, but I must say the spot removal tools in Lightroom do a fantastic job, too. Photoshop's clone tool allows a bit more finesse, but Lightroom's Content Aware, Heal, and Clone tools are damn good and very easy. Spots? What spots?
2nd Chances: What I might try next
There are probably spots in the non-sky areas, too, but they are masked by all the details in the subjects. Still, before I would use this image I would scan the entire image just to be sure there aren't any hidden spots of quicksand. |
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