It is amazing what you can pull out of a batch of photos that you haven't looked at in awhile. In the digital age (and certainly for my generation) instant gratification reigns. I am so obsessed that I download my CF cards every night and always do my "Five Star" edit immediately thereafter. I don't just do it because I am excited, but also because I believe that when I do my edit right after a shoot I tend to be harder on myself, thus only taking the best images. I've learned though, that isn't always the case.
Caption: Detail of Merlot Grapes, rescued from the archives.
I keep my RAW files for years and years before I finally go through and trash the ones I will never go back to. I'm glad I do, too. It takes up terabytes upon terabytes but occasionally I'll get a request or just a bug to go back and take a look at an old shoot and almost always, the folder will yield a couple new gems. There is nothing like looking at your own work with fresh eyes.
Caption: Boats on dock, Glacier National Park, Montana. Rescued from the archives.
Really loved the points you made in this article. I have experienced this effect myself before and it has led me to discover some of my very best work. Thank you for your article!
Thanks Joseph! I appreciate the note. Sometimes it is the most simple things that can make all of the difference.
Great article, Ian. I do the same as well. One shoot I went back on two years later revealed an image that is now in my travel portfolio. Glad I didn’t delete it upon the initial edit!