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
High Contrast Week
Sometimes the light is just flat and downright discouraging. Fortunately, we need not accept that flat contrast as is. Pushing the contrast of an image to extremes can often salvage what looks like a weak image into a strong one. This week is an exploration of turning low contrast failures into high contrast successes.
What I saw that I liked:
Cloth often makes interesting folds and curves like this tarp above.
What I don't like in the picture:
Pretty gray, not much of interest.
What I learned:
Playing around with a high contrast approach, when I made the adjustment at left I suddenly saw a face emerge! Can you see it? The eye in the upper right; the diagonals in the middle are the nose; the rounded curve creating open lips in the lower middle. Of course, now that I've seen the face, I can't not see it. I love fun surprises like this. |
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