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
Mountains from Your Car Week
I know photographers whose sole subject matter are mountains — and their masterful efforts are breathtaking. I love the mountains as much as anyone else, as long as I can access them from the highway (my backpacking days are over). This week will be mountains from the comfort of your car.
What I saw that I liked:
This is another from the driver's side of my truck where I waited several hours for the light.
What I don't like in the picture:
Mountains can be tricky to compose because there are subtleties in the geometries that aren't always seen when looking at the overwhelming size and beauty.
What I learned:
Notice in the version at left two things of importance. Look for the circle of trees in the lower left corner — almost heart-shaped. In the above, that circle is almost dead center. Also, in the version at left the diagonal gash in the rock covers over half of the vertical distance of the image. In the above, that same gash is about a third of the vertical distance. These two elements are in better, more revealing and balanced locations in the picture at the left. |
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