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
When Processing Is the Key
Being out in the world with our camera is fun, but processing is what makes an image rise to the level of personal expression. This week will concentrate on processed images — some subtly, some radically.
What I saw that I liked:
I've tried for years to make an image of these insect paths in dead tree trunks.
What I don't like in the picture:
Usually, my attempt fail because the rounded trunk is too three-dimensional. The edges are either our of focus or out of the light.
What I learned:
Patience is the key to get the capture. Even so, after a good capture, it is a delicate matter of finding the right contras and tones to flatten the trunk by show the texture of the patterns. The first is an optical problem, the second is a processing challenge.
2nd Chances: What I might try next
This could also be a sepia-toned image. I should try that, too. |
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