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
Rock Wall Week
I have lots of captures of rock walls. Why? Don't know, but I do know I want to put together a small project with them. How does one make a rock wall visually interesting? An even greater challenge is how to make a group of them interesting without becoming repetitious. This week will feature five attempts to do just that.
What I saw that I liked:
First, I admit that I've never seen a rock wall that I didn't want to photograph.
What I don't like in the picture:
The above — like lots of other rock walls — is a little flat and dull without some processing help.
What I learned:
After punching up the contrast and highlighting the tree at the bottom, the rock wall becomes a lot more visually interesting. It may not be a winner, but at least the processed version at left isn't so dull and gray.
2nd Chances: What I might try next
This is the kind of image with lots of detail that might look better in a big print. I'm not sure, however, that anyone would want to hang this image in their home or office. Perhaps its best destiny is in a book. |
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