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:Snow reflecting of an icy snow near Steens Mountain in Oregon.. What I don't like in the picture:Including the sun in the composition is almost always going to lead to a giant white blog in the sky. It's simply too bright for film or sensors to render. What I learned:The image at left is from the same place, just cropping the sun out by using a longer zoom. The sun is still in the image, just inferred by the light on the snow and the tip edge of the hillside. Because the sun is inferred, does it really need to be visible in the sky? 2nd Chances: What I might try nextNot sure why I've left this as a color image. I should try a b/w conversion just to check. |
