Brooks Jensen Arts - Every Picture Is a Compromise

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Every Picture is a Compromise
A Series About Keepers, Also-rans, and Learning from Mistakes

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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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Deep Shadows Week

I know that "photography" is "light writing." Sometimes, however, it is not the light but the deep shadow that makes the image succeed. This week will be examples of deep shadows that bring the brightly lit objects to life.

What I saw that I liked:

I am a sucker for dappled light in the forest.

What I don't like in the picture:

The above is a fun composition with the tree trunk on the right side of the image, but the branches in the background distract my eye away from the trunk.

What I learned:

The image at left does a better job of showing off the dappled sunlight, but I think I need to do some cloning out of the light distractions in the background.