Okay. So now you have a few (hundred) thousand photos. What to do with them? They're not doing anybody any good sitting on your hard drive so I have some ideas.
The first thing I suggest is to be ruthless with your images. Save the good ones, the ones you really want to edit, delete the rest. Yes, you heard me correctly. Delete the bad ones. I know, I know. It's painful. Believe me, I and my computer with its two (soon to be three) external hard drives know all too well how painful it is. But in the interest of artistry and hard drive space, hit that delete key ... judiciously, of course.
Now you've gotten down to the really good stuff so edit all you want, or not, whatever makes you happy. Then, let's share them! Yes, you heard me. Let's get them out of your computer and in front of somebody's eyes, preferably somebody who loves photography as much as you do, like all your new friends here at Focusing on Life.
To help you out we're introducing our brand spanking new Focusing on Life Flickr page, just for you. We invite you to join this public group and share your photos and thoughts with us. What's that you say? Why should you do that? Glad you asked!
Until I started sharing my photos on Flickr and online photo classes, my photography was in a rut. By sharing with others, I became a better photographer as we all shared and commented on one another's photos. Soon I began to understand composition, aperture, shutter speed, exposure, post processing, in short, photography. All that scary terminology became part of my everyday vocabulary and my work improved, over time dramatically and now when I see my early pictures, I cringe.
So join us at Flickr where you can see your photos come to life; where you can grow as a photographer. And as a person. Here's the link. We're waiting there for you!
PS - But don't forget to stop on our comments page here to say "Hello."
15 comments:
Thanks Dotti for introducing our new feature. We've all loaded up a few pics, to show people how. As it has for you, posting to these classes has really taught me alot. At first, it feels a little funny sending them out there, and then hearing from people you don't know, but once there are several there, it seems more anonymous and less scary. And then you find that groups of people seem to be drawn to the same types of photos, and after a while you recognize their names and comments - and friendships have begun. I encourage people to give it a try!
Good morning. What a darling "noodle" photo. I need a nudge to go through my photos and get rid of them, and to also DO something with the ones I have....what a good reminder. Thank you. Now I have a project this morning....:) :)
Have a great week.
Thanks for this reminder to weed out my photos! I have done that before, but as you know, it needs to be done often. And I'm looking forward to the Flickr group, planning to share some images there as well.
Great post, Dotti! I'm terrible about deleting photos. It is just too easy to keep them and just keep adding external hard drives! When I shot film, I didn't seem to have that problem, probably because they took up actual physical space. Once an event was scrapbooked, the ones that didn't "make the cut" were tossed. But I know I am saving way too much, so thank you for the encouragement to purge! As far as sharing goes, where would we all be if we hadn't put ourselves and our work out there, shared with each other both our photos and our words, and become friends in the process? This little old blog would have never happened and I, for one, am totally grateful that it has.
Dumping photos has always been one of the most challenging! UGGGGH
BUT I have been better at it. I set one day a month to review an old file and delete delete! I am running out of space and dont want to buy a new hard drive.
and BTW our flicker page is sooo fun! Who could resist?
How timely!! I just deleated over 2,000 picture from my commputer!! And, I don't regret that I did! I always have to take just one more photo in case it's better than the 50 I've already taken!!! So delete I must! I've been working through last years photos and I'm finally up to November! This year I think I'll take Claudia's idea and set a day each month, just mark it on my calendar and do it!! I love that you've set up a flickr group to share photos!! I love looking at all of your wonderful images and I do like to share too!! Have a happy week!
Cute photo Dotti. I am so busy adding photos, that sometimes I forget to delete the bad ones. Nice idea about sharing photos on the flickr page.
Karen
Oh, yes! Deleting photos is not easy! Especially when it is someone special! Sometimes that is the only reson I keep an awful picture! Just because it is of the girls! But delete I must!
What fun to have a flickr group to share on! Love it!
My weeding of photos tends to go in fits and starts. I try doing it like auditionoing fabric for a quilt, A or B, A or B. Pick one, ditch the other. Then that one against the next one, and so on. It's hard for me to delete people photos but I'm pretty ruthless with the rest of the stuff, likely too much so at times. The one day a month to do it sounds IDEAL. Great idea.
Ah yes, deleting photos....I think we all could do a little more of it! I find that I'm usually too attached to the images the day I take them, but if I come back to them a week or month later, I find the task easier! Thanks, too, for the intro to the flickr group! Such a sweet photo too!
sweet photo dottie! so cute!
As far as deleting photos...oh that's like the last thing on my list to do, but wow...it always feels good to clear out the 'junk' drawer, right? Just by taking a little time to do that is like clearing the mind. :) Thanks for the little reminder! :)
Purge...did you say purge? Oh do I need to do that without question. I am such a hoarder, if I don't watch it I will be a candidate for that TV show "Hoarders". And Claudia's idea of picking a day a month to delete is a grand idea. Thanks, Dotti for the encouragement, we all need a little push to purge.... And that pic of the noodle sharing is absolutely adorable...you know it reminds me of "Lady and the Tramp" See you on flickr.
I need to purge too! I usually go through my most recent upload and delete immediately those that are out of focus, overexposed, etc.. Then I go back through again to see which ones jump out at me immediately and which ones don't. I usually go through 2 rounds of deletes. Then I will edit the remaining photos and even then I find myself liking one more than another so it has to go. I don't need 5 shots of the same flower from slightly different vantage points.
Love your noodle photo Dotti! Totally reminds me of Lady and The Tramp too :)
my husband bought me a gift of flowers every month for a Christmas present, I agree, it is such a lovely thing. I just joined your flickr group.
Thank you Dotti for the inspiration. Not only do I have lots I need to delete on my computer, but I have boxes and boxes of developed photos to go through. These I have even more trouble parting with. Love the photo at the top of your blog!
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