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:In China, this old woman in a rural village, but she obviously didn't want her picture taken. What I learned:What do you do when you encounter this resistance? I always pull my camera down, smile, back away. She has a right to not want herself photographed, and I don't have a right to intrude where I'm not wanted. I suppose I'd make a lousy journalist photographer, but I just can't bring myself to make people feel uncomfortable. Besides, I always get better pictures when the subject is cooperating with me. With this fellow at the left at a sword factory in China, I simply held up my camera and he nodded yes. When he went back to work, getting an interesting image was easy. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextHere a related idea that I discussed in an early issue of LensWork #92, Jan-Feb 2011 — the Introduction Book. |
