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
On Second Thought . . .
When I'm out photographing, I'm "gathering assets" for future projects that will be developed back in my studio. That means that field work is often just responding to what I see and feel. I've learned, however, that my first response is not always my best. This week will be examples where I had second thoughts in the field — and am so glad that I did.
What I saw that I liked:
The tuft of grass above the surface of the pond is what caught my eye at this location.
What I don't like in the picture:
I quickly snapped the above and thought I had an image I could use. I almost packed up and left.
What I learned:
But, something in the back of my brain wasn't satisfied. Over the years, I've learned to trust that little whisper. I stopped and looked for a couple of minutes. I even tried a few different compositions. Still the whisper remained.
Silly as it sounds (and a little woo-woo, too), I'll often ask what the subject wants me to photograph. In this instance, it was loud and clear — PANORAMA. Hence the stitched image at left. |
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