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
All About the Numbers Week
When it comes to composition, numbers play an important role that designers know all about. Photographers need this same knowledge when it comes to composition. This week we'll look at numbers and composition.
What I saw that I liked:
Another example of two versus three in a composition.
What I don't like in the picture:
I made the image above first. What caught my eye was the glowing sheen on the top chair. I set up my tripod and made the above exposure.
What I learned:
When I audited this image on the LCD screen of my camera, I immediately saw that it was poorly composed as something even worst that a "two." It's a "one and a half." I quickly shifted gears and brought in the third chair with the thought that I needed to compose in odd numbers. To my eye, the three chairs are much more interesting than the composition I started with.
2nd Chances: What I might try next
Should I clone out that top rail in the upper left corner? Not sure how I think about that background detail. |
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