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:A pattern of snowy rocks What I don't like in the picture:The image above is OK, but seems a bit flat. I tried to spice it up with contrast and clarity, but I think it looks flat because I was pointing my camera straight down at it. It looks flat because it was flat. Duh. What I learned:The image at left with its "snow shadows" is much more interesting to my eye. The pattern is different than the above and I prefer the 1/3 to 2/3 distribution of the pebbles. It took me a long time to realize that the shadows on some of the pebbles were actually a remnant of the blowing snow no accumulating on the leeward side of the rocks. |
