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 a hard time passing by a winter tree like this one. I have thousands of them in my Lightroom catalog. What I don't like in the picture:The fundamental decision in all of these is whether or not to crop off the tiny branches with the edge of the frame or to keep them contained. What I learned:In this image, I decided the gesture of that topmost branch was the important element, hence the tighter composition at left. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextDo you see that one remaining leaf near the left edge? Should I clone that out or not? |
