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:This was photographed at the Longwood Botanical Gardens in Pennsylvania. What I don't like in the picture:Whenever I see color in a photograph, I reflexively leap to the assumption that I'm supposed to be seeing a literal rendition of the subject. Camera as Xerox Copy Machine. What I learned:Converting this image to b/w implies that I'm making an artistic interpretation of reality. At least that's the way I think about it. Besides, the color in the above doesn't contribute to the essence I was trying to portray — the spines and prickly nature of these plants. If color isn't needed, then it runs the risk of being a distraction. |
