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:Incredibly tall cranes at the shipyard. What I don't like in the picture:I had the idea that I could perhaps emotionally portray the height of these cranes by using the clouds. There is nothing wrong with this image, and I even liked it a lot — until I thought about doing a jigsaw image using the technique I first saw in the work of Walt Stricklin. What I learned:There is more than one way to skin a cat — or make a crane seem tall. Second lessson, don't stop experimenting and exploring just because you think you have a photograph that works. There may be an even better way to express the same idea, but you'll never find it if you sit around on your laurels. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextI wish I'd stood a little more below the crane and looked straight up its length. That could be really fun! |
