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.
|
Original digital capture
What I saw that I liked:I was deep in a bamboo forest for this shot. What I don't like in the picture:I liked the glow that came off the damp bamboo from the soft light. I made a number of dark exposures like the one above, but most of them are too dark. What I learned:The one at left is the best of the lot because the soft light coming through the forest was just a bit brighter than many of the other exposures I tried. I think this rendering of the light also emphasizes the roundness of the bamboo. |
