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
One Big Change Week
I often find that a bad looking image can be one big change away from success. It's as though that one big change is a key that opens the door. Once the door opens, smaller changes can still improve the image, but without the one big change the image is lost.
What I saw that I liked:
The receding layers are great.
The One Big Change: Cropping
The sky and the lake are not "problems" in the image above, but they aren't necessary either. A quick crop and a conversion to b/w made this rather dreary image into a more intimate landscape.
What I learned:
I almost didn't make this capture. I remember standing there at the edge of the lake and thinking, "So what? This isn't thrilling. Maybe I should move on." I'm glad I didn't. Some photographers have the ability to see the finished image before they press the shutter release. I'm not one of those. For me, if I feel anything remotely interesting, I make the capture and trust to processing to bring it out.
2nd Chances: What I might try next
This one could stay color, but I'd need to test that.
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