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:The first decision for every shot we make in the forest is whether or not we are photographing a tree or photographing the forest. What I don't like in the picture:I like both of these, but they are as different as can be. What I learned:By photographing a solitary tree, we are photographing its personality. In this case (above) that "personality" is wet. I kept the image dark so the wet highlights would stand out more. In the image at left, we see pattern, not individuality. In fact, this image works precisely because there isn't any personality that stands out from the rest. Which are you photographing, a personality or a group/pattern? This is a pretty handy question to keep in mind for all your photographs, trees or people, rocks or street scenes. |
