Brooks Jensen Arts - Every Picture Is a Compromise

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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

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Palouse Panorama Week

The region known as "The Palouse" in southeast Washington state has become a kind of mecca for photographers in recent years. A major wheat farming area, the Palouse offers all kinds of fascinating patterns and colors for photographers to explore. I always seem to gravitate to panorama format images, which will be the topic of images this week.

What I saw that I liked:

As you can see in the above, I composed my standard 4:3 aspect ratio. Nope, not this one.

What I don't like in the picture:

Too much emptiness in the upper left quadrant.

What I learned:

Don't forget that panoramas can be vertical, too!

2nd Chances: What I might try next

I may have left a bit too much red in this one.