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:I first saw a mud crack abstract from Huntington Witherill that he photographed near Factory Butte. Since then, I look for an find them all over the place. What I don't like in the picture:The one above is an awful baby-poop yellow/brown and look still gloppy and too wet. What I learned:Not far away from the version above, I found the one at left. Much better color and love the light filtering through the trees. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextI should have used a focus stack on this one. Without it, the top and bottom edges fall out of focus. Too bad. Could I use Lens Blur to push them more out of focus? |
