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
How did I miss this one? Week
Sometimes while working my Lightroom catalog, I'll completely miss an image that shouldn't be ignored. This week will be examples of images I unburied from the depths of my archives to discover a gem I'd been overlooking for years.
What I saw that I liked:
A beautiful scene, but spoiled with extension cords. In a Japanese garden?
What I don't like in the picture:
I was very surprised to see a big light fixture in the middle of this Japanese garden. And the cable that run to it! I like the scene, but the lighting fixtures were a terrible distraction.
What I learned:
Again, never delete and image because of something you don't like. Times change. Software capabilities change. This image was salvaged from oblivion once Generative Remove was able to eliminate the problems.
2nd Chances: What I might try next
You eagle eyed folks will probably see that I missed on cable at the far right of the stone bridge. I will be fixing that before I use this image in an future projects. |
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