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:Way up on a "cherry picker," this guy is painting this giant ship at the Dakota Creek shipyard. What I don't like in the picture:Missing relationship. What I learned:One of my maxims (which you've no doubt heard me preach over and over) is that photography is about relationships. In the above, there is proximity, but no connection — and therefore no relationship. The one at left not only has a relationship, but it's almost a sensual one. Touch and height are the dominant themes. The shadow is a bonus. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextThere are a couple of white triangles at the top edge of the image. No idea what those are, but I think I need to clone them out of existence. |
