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
Composing in Threes
There is a convention in graphic design to always use odd numbers in compositions. This week will be a look at landscapes that are composed using three elements compared to their counterparts using just two.
What I saw that I liked:
Iconic subject seem to almost compose themselves.
What I don't like in the picture:
We shouldn't let them lest we end up with the subject plop in the center of the frame with no composition in our image at all.
What I learned:
I was waiting for that rectangular cloud to center itself in the frame. As it move into the perfect position, another cloud cast its shadow on the face of Shiprock. Sometimes the photo gods smile on us.
The "three" in this image are Shiprock, the centered cloud and the lower cloud reaching in the from lower left. Notice how these three elements make a triangle for our eye to explore. It almost begs for use to reconstruct the three-dimensional positions of the elements to make this image. The question I have, however, is where is the cloud that is casting its shadow in the rock face?
2nd Chances: What I might try next
Should I crop a bit off the top of this one? |
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