Chesapeake Bay – The Art of the Imperfect Composition

As photographers we all want to take spectacular shots. Our effort is not lacking, the motivation is in full swing and we are ready for spectacular-ness. Sometimes it doesn’t happen. What to do when you’re less than inspired by the scene you got up at 4am to shoot.

Here are a few pointers in dealing with the art of the imperfect composition.

1. Find something about the scene you do like and build on that.
2. The parts you don’t like think about how your camera can render it differently than your eyes see it. How about a slow shutter speed, fish-eye lens, crazy over or under exposed, shallow depth of field or HDR.
3. Change your viewing angle drastically. Get down very low or move to a high point.

There was a huge rock along the bay and I liked it but every time I composed it in the viewfinder all I could see was a big dark blob. I couldn’t find a composition I liked, the sky was nice but the rock was ugly and there was even less interest in the immediate surroundings. My last ditch attempt at making something happen was a shot from near ground level and include just a portion of the rock. It was the best I could do at that time and place and it was my approach to the imperfect composition.