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:What I saw that I liked is the semi-abstract at left. What I don't like in the picture:Any idea what these are? I'll bet you do if you looked at the above picture first. These are ceramic tiles that are used on roofs in China. But that's the problem: out of context, the image at left is undecipherable. What I learned:This is where the integration of images in a multi image project comes to the rescue. In context, the tiles at left make sense. They are less abstract and become more of an interesting "found object." If I had no images like the one above, it would be pretty difficult to find a way to use the one at left. Another cautionary tale about capturing a variety of compositions, not just the one that most attracts your eye. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextB/W ? |
