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:I have my cameras set to display a monochrome image in my viewfinder and LCD screen. A subject like this caughtes my eye for its shapes, not its colors. What I don't like in the picture:Here again is an example of a subject in the shadows with dull and flat light. Such an image almost always requires some help in processing. What I learned:There was a lot more to bring this botanical to visual life than I originally guessed. I kept working on the crying leaves with poor results. Eventually, it occurred to me that I needed to darken the background to bring the brighter tones in the leaves to a glow. Now, it almost looks like a perished creature of some sort. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextThe square crop really helps. |
