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:Walking around an outdoor market in Japan in 2009, I attempted a "pattern shot" with the above. What I don't like in the picture:First, it's out of focus. Second, it's really boring. Third, it's not obvious at first glance what this even is. Fourth. do I need a fourth to reject it? What I learned:The image at left was made during my trip to Japan in 1990 and was shot with film. It's taken quite a bit of work in Photoshop to get the fish to glow, but patience prevailed. Some things lend themselves to that photographic glow and fish is one of them. Clearly, that's one of the missing components in the above. 2nd Chances: What I might try nextWith the above, I might try darkening everything and then bringing just a couple of the snail much brighter. Might be fun to try to salvage something from it. |
