The “Delete Button” – preserving your self esteem

Monks

In the old film days it was not possible to delete any photos that were not well taken. The only recourse was to develop the whole roll of photos, keep it in the negative sleeves and file away those photos that do not pass your personal standards. Every time you look thru the negatives, it would remind you what a lousy photographer you had been….at least those badly taken photos. For me it is 95% of the time, 98% if I wanted impress my viewers.

However, the only thing revolutionary in the digital camera other than instant gratification is the power to delete the lousy pictures from the camera and your memory.

When photographers initially start photography (newbies), the “Delete Button” is seldom used. Perhaps the main reason was they are not able to exercise their self critique mode. They won’t know whether a picture is good for keeping or banishing it from their memories. As time progress, the “delete button” will be used more and more often.

Rays of light

I have often heard this argument, perhaps I can save a lousy picture with photo shop or other digital editing software. Just for argument, IF you can save a lousy picture with photo shop, just imagine what you can do with a brilliantly taken picture. The minute you let this thought into your mind, then you have stop to try to be a good photographer. So shoot it right the first time and post processing will bring out a good picture to a brilliant picture.

Khmer Child

One wise Photographer once said: “there are no good Photographers only Photographers who show their good pictures”

I have seen some of my friends who are professional photographers (people who make a living from photography). Every time there is a project, they would shoot 2000 pictures and eventually choosing maybe 3 pictures that is not including those pictures which they have deleted along the way.

My conclusion is, if you are a professional earning a living, you use the proverbial “delete button” more often than a newbie.

So exercise your power to delete…..by doing so it will preserve your self esteem.

Child with a basket