Deleting ruthlessly

[ggeen]

So the author of this article is calling for us to delete our less than perfect images. I have practiced both sides of this question, deleting files that don't measure up and keeping the original copy of everything in an archive. I only process a small number of the total number of pictures I take but I do not currently delete unprocessed file just because I did not think they were worthy of processing at the time.

What are some of your thoughts on the subject? I am just curious.

Delete Ruthlessly

[kenw]

My % varies. Technical issues get tossed almost without question: focus, WB, movement blur, etc. Compositional varieties may get a reprieve and altho only the best as defined at that moment may see any further usefulness, those with an alternate balance or composition usually are kept for what-ifs (that usually never come).

Things that will modify the keeper rate: emotion of the situation, chances of the subjects/timing/opportunity repeating, etc. People as subjects will often have a higher keeper ratio than my other common subjects such as trains or landscapes. A unique sunset may however have a very high ratio, while a particular flower macro very low.

But in general, I do tend to keep more than I probably should. Every so often I chastise myself and get a shoot down to a manageable # of keepers before archiving. Yesterday at the local botanical gardens, I eventually wound up with 8 finalists from almost 50 shots total in about 2 hours, and 2 train finalists from about 2 dozen taken over about 3 hours. The nature shots may get some further culling if I get around to it before archiving. Only 1 made the post list so far but the other 7 are not (yet) recycled.

[groovyone]

I have the bad habit of editing ALL of them then deciding. Wastes a lot of time I am sure. I am getting to the point where I will kick 5-10% out of a job, but typically only I at least try to salvage it.

[biggin]

He needs some math work... 80 pictures is not nearly 3 rolls of 36 exp... not even close.

About once a qtr I find myself wondering if I keep too many images, while most never see the light of day, I kind of look at it like film, just because a few of the images are bad, do you throw the film away?

From time to time, I find something in an image that reminds me of something or has something I can use.

[The Philos]

I keep them all and reevaluate down the road (6 months, a year, whenever I get to it) to make myself look at the images I "kept" vs. the images I "tossed".

[Stargazer77517]

If I am out shooting to sell, Ill only keep the best ones, But on vacation I end up keeping a big portion of them.

[Buddha]

Unless they are not viewable because of focus or blur, I keep them. I have too often found that images that aren't currently good ones are great for training later. I am fearless about going back to try something with one of those images in the interest of improving my editing skills. That works well for me. As a result, I am better at editing every year, with images to try on and more to practice on until skills become second nature.
I also have a file naming convention which allows me to keep revised files separate but traceable back to the original, so I can see what I started from.