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:Same place as yesterday's image. What I don't like in the picture:After adjusting for tonalities (see yesterday's image), I still wasn't excited about this one. What I learned:An advantage of abstracts is that we can rotate the image at will. Doing so brought me the image at left onto which I can't help but project a questionable vision. The larger white area in the lower right looks like someone holding some while looking up at it. The white in the upper left feels like it could be a kite or perhaps the end of a torch? One of the reasons that abstracts are fun is that we can all project our own interpretation. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextIs the first one above the legs of a dancing chicken? |
