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
Variations Week
Whenever I'm out photographing and just "gathering assets," I never know or can predict how I will eventually use an image in a project. Will I need a vertical or a horizontal composition? Because I don't know, I find it useful to capture both. The same for close vs far, wide angle vs telephoto, shallow vs deep depth of field. This week, I'll post examples of this strategy that emphasizes flexibility.
What I saw that I liked:
Very interesting grooved bentonite with oval, egg-like concretions.
An example of note:
I've talked about a habit I've employed over the years of capturing both a vertical and a horizontal composition so I have choices in the layout of a project. Another point in this strategy is that use of each image may require it's own processing variations depending on the project.
Here we see a vertical (above) that has been selectively colored with both monochrome and full-color elements. The example at left is a simple color version that has been color-balanced a tad warmer than neutral. Different compositions and different processing to fit two different projects.
2nd Chances: What I might try next
Who knows? There might even be a third or fourth options in the future as other projects develop that could use these images! |
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