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:A good strategy is to occasionally follow a subject until the composition show up. What I don't like in the picture:I didn't foresee the silhouette image at left. I just knew that I wanted to photograph this person working to keep the park clean. What I learned:It didn't take long for my opportunity. This is a variation of the great advice from Sam Abel about finding a composition and then just waiting for something to happen within it. My version of that advice for people is to keep you eye out for that moment when they are posing without knowing they are posing. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextAnother example of preserving just enough detail in the shadows to keep the silhouette from going completely black. Love the dynamic range of today's cameras that allow us to pull out just a bit of shadow detail. |
