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
Going Back
It's said that we can't go back. True enough, but we can revisit a place we've photographed before and find something new! In fact, it's almost guaranteed we'll find something new. Things (including ourselves) are constantly changing. This week are five examples of going back — and being really glad I did.
What I saw that I liked:
I just love the mud crack photographs of Jennifer Renwick. We published some in her LensWork Monograph. I tried my hand at it, but mine are far less interesting than hers.
When I revisited this subject:
The one at left was made a few years later and is from a different location. I like this one a lot. It combines "straight photography" of the leaf with the abstract of the mud. That's a relationship I could see exploring more deeply.
Processing notes:
The mud had some color in it which I wanted to eliminate. I made a selection of all the mud, desaturated it, and then toned it brown. The leaf is its natural color. |
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