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.
Previous image | Next image |
Original digital capture
It's What You Make Week
The theme this week revolves around the idea that it's not what you take, but what you make that counts. All the images this week are ones that required radical processing to pull something interesting out of a blah RAW capture.
What I saw that I liked:
This is a giant hanging sculpture I found at StarWorks in Seagrove, North Carolina.
What I don't like in the RAW capture:
I found this in a storage area of a warehouse, so it is not in an idea location for photography. As photographed, it's kind of dull and surrounded by warehouse clutter. Not an ideal situation for building some sort of metaphor.
What I made:
With enough Photoshop work, I was able to eliminate the clutter in the background. From there, I thought I might have something — if I could get the tones right. The more I worked on it, the more I became aware that it's shape reminded me of a human heart. I know it's a stretch, but I see this heart floating in the space above the ring on the floor as though it is being interrogated or examined. It is purity is on trial. Do I need therapy? |
|
