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:Paul Caponigro photographed rock walls and I just love his images of them. I keep trying to do something that would measure up to his work, but I'm not there yet. What I don't like in the picture:The above rock has lots of texture, but that's about it. There is no visual lines or tones that lead our eye anywhere. Total failure. What I learned:A rock wall is an abstract as much as it is anything. There had better be some movement in the composition or there is no reason to look at it. The rock wall at left is a recent image from Acadia National Park. The lines help, but to my eye it is the subtle color that makes this one so interesting. Like all abstracts, I may be the only person on the plane who will like this image, but that's okay by me. As long as I produce something that I like, it has been worth the time and effort. |
