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
Overlooked Week
For some time now, I've advocated mining our Lightroom catalog for forgotten and overlooked gems. This week will include successful images that pulled my attention away from other images that have remained hidden gems — but have recently been rediscovered.
What I saw that I liked:
These horsetail plants were on the side of the bicycle path I was headed down. Lots and lots of them. When I saw the one above, I thought the leaf added a nice touch. This became the one I used in a couple of workshops as a demonstration image.
What I uncovered in my archives:
Not long ago, I found the one at left, made from a slightly different angle. I think it's the same leaf, but I'm not positive about that. I love the chaos of this one. Reminds me of a ball of string or a massive spider web. As I worked on this b/w conversion, I came to like this image far more than the one above. There is a cosmic/fireworks feel about it. I could imagine this in a movie like The Fifth Element. |
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