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:Historic museum. What I don't like in the picture:In the above, we see a collection of objects. Period. It looks like a museum set. What I learned:I've often repeated that photography is about relationships. In the above, each object is isolated, independent. There is no relationship from one object to another. In the one at left — admittedly not a particular winner of a photograph — the object are now in relationship to one another. This time, it's literally a proximate relationship. Nothing particularly deep and meaningful, but at least more interesting than the one above. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextB/W? |
