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:I was fascinated by this winter tree in the fog. What I don't like in the picture:Too much tree and almost invisible fog. What I learned:Fog in a photograph is visible because of how it disguises the tones of the distant object. The composition at left shows those distant trees which make the fog visible. I got extra lucky with the disc of the sun becoming visible in the fog, too. And the tree that first attracted me is still there, but it doesn't have to dominate for its presence to be known. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextIn a perfect world, I'd prefer that sun to be a smidgen to the right and not touching the branch of the distant tree. |
