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
Little FixesWhat I saw that I liked:Beautiful stormy clouds over Bear Lake in Idaho. What I don't like in the picture:Yes, in the lower right corner you can catch the edge of the rear view mirror on my truck. This is what I call a "pokie" — some unwanted element that pokes in from the side or a corner that you don't see while you are taking the picture. What I learned:You can photograph successfully while remaining in the truck; content-aware fill does a damn fine job. |
