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:This hazy day from local forest fires gave this stream a wonderful gold color. What I don't like in the picture:The above shows the gold, but by using a fast shutter speed I get no sense of the water movement. Duh, of course. What I learned:The version at left is not just the gold color, but in the shadows there is some blue/green. I like the way the two colors play off one another. Then, look at the bottom of the image and you'll see some still water that plays against the moving waters at the top of the image. This may be one of my all-time favorite water images. |
