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:Passage ways lead not only the people who walk them but also our eye as it scans the image. Two examples from a "volcano village" in Hainan, China. What I don't like in the picture:Another example of how we can't really evaluate an image unless we know its purpose. What I learned:The one above leads our eye to a bend in the path we can't see around. Its destination is a mystery. Sometimes, that's perfect. On the other hand, the example at left leads us to the finality in this pair of doors with the red signs. This ending a a definitive statement. The one above is a mysterious unknown. Which is better? Each has its own use in a project or series. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextIf I do use the one above, I'd try Generative Fill to remove the blue plastic pipes. |
