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
Background Week
Sometimes, the picture succeeds not because the subject is powerful, but rather because the background makes the subject more visually captivating. This week's examples all share an aggressive processing of the background that converts a modest subject into a more memorable one.
What I saw that I liked:
This partially submersed, shiny, red rock was reflecting a beautiful light.
What I don't like in the picture:
There was quite a bit of silt in the water that muted the colors. Worse, I thought the color of the water clashed with the red of the rock.
What I learned:
Background can be aggressively processed, particularly with digital tools (in Lightroom and others) that can make a mask that selects the background so easily.
2nd Chances: What I might try next
I wish I could tell you that I foresaw this dark background when I made the exposure, but I didn't. Finding this image buried in my Lightroom catalog has me wanting to go on a deeper search to see what I can uncover in images I've otherwise ignored. |
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