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:Falls leaves are the default subject in the fall, right? What I don't like in the picture:Maybe not. The above image has color in it, but the image is not about the color. To my eye, it's about the patterns of the tall tree trunks. What I learned:If "pattern" is the subject of the image, then the color is a distraction. That makes this an ideal candidate for a b/w image in spite of the lovely fall colors. Of course another picture could be of both color and pattern, but this one screamed to be b/w only. BTW, this kind of image can easily become too gray. Getting those light tones just right requires some real processing finesse. |
