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:Another hazy day with lots of forest fire smoke in the air. What I don't like in the picture:The straight capture above is okay, but is missing a sense of drama I had hoped for. What I learned:All I had to do with this one was to darken it. That's it. That intensified the orange color and exaggerated the silhouette of the tree. Maybe it's just me, but this one (at left) really speaks volumes to my sense of visual emotion. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextSometimes I feel almost guilty when an image like this one turns out to be so easy to make. Then again, take all the lucky ones you can get. |
