After returning from New York City last week, I took on the daunting task of reviewing about eight years worth of raw files. (Anyone who has tried probably just exclaimed, “yikes!,” or something much less polite… :-)
I’m _very_ conservative when it comes to deleting raw files, figuring that it is better to end up keeping files I don’t need than to find out that I trashed something that could have been useful. In addition, as I do an annual review of the previous year’s raw files every winter, I invariably discover a few good photographs that I had somehow passed over or failed to notice at the time I made them.
As non-fun as the process of reviewing tens of thousands of files can be, there are some worthwhile results, including:
I do delete a fair number of just plain useless files that have been cluttering up my hard drive. I figure that if it wasn’t interesting a the time I took it, wasn’t interesting during my annual raw file review, and still isn’t interesting a few years later… it may be time to get rid of it.
I find some (to me, anyway) real treasures that I had overlooked to misunderstood or simply forgotten at the time. At some point I’ll write more about why this happens, but it is not unusual to fail to understand how a photograph works right after making it. But when viewed with some temporal distance, some photographs turn out to surprise me by how successful they might be. So one of the pleasures of this otherwise daunting task is the discovery of such images.
I relive experiences related to the making the photographs. When I view my own photographs, the visual imagery is always associated with non-visual experiences that were part of the process of making the photo. When I “rediscover” some of these older image – even some that turn out not to be photographically worthy of sharing – I also rediscover those experiences that I had forgotten and all sorts of memories return. (Among those in this batch are many of my family – especially fun during the week when our youngest son moved off to a different city of get his first job.)
I learn things about my own photographic growth that might not be apparent when only considering the most current work. For example, I’m often struck by how certain themes and ways of seeing that I’ve come to recognize more recently were already present in work done quite a while ago. Understanding this is important, I think, to developing self-awareness as a photographer.
For the past few years photographer and blogger Jim M. Goldstein has been collecting and sharing an annual list of online photographers’ “best of the year” posts. (More and more of us make this an annual event around the time of the New Year – I posted my 2010 Favorites list a couple weeks ago.)
Today, after what must have been a very complex organizational task, Jim posted his Best Photos of 2010 list. It now includes the work of over 160 photographers – yes, I’m in the list – and if you take the time to follow his links you’ll find a wide range of photography including some stunning and compelling work. If you have some free time (or your boss isn’t looking… :-), wander on over to his link and enjoy!
A reminder that my 2010 Favorites page is available – it includes some of my favorite photographs from 2010, compiled with the help of readers. (It seems like the first work day of the first work week of the new year would be a good time for one last post about this.
And now it is time to start work on the 2011 favorites…
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him.
A number of Canon lenses are currently eligible for a rebate (“instant savings”). Here is an updated list that includes the rebate amounts and links to the lenses at B&H Photo/Video. Given the recent increases in Canon lens list prices, this may be a good opportunity to save some money on that lens you have been waiting to purchase.
(Note: Some of these links may go to pages that also include items not eligible for the “instant savings” and it is possible that the links may change – check the pages you arrive at via these links to verify that they are the right ones before you buy!)
Highlights from this list?
Obviously, all four of the excellent EF 70-200mm lenses are on many photographers’ “must have” lists – and all of them are included in this program.
The 24-70 f/2.8 is a “core lens” for many full-frame shooters. (I shoot the 24-105, but that is a matter of personal preference, not an indication that one is better than the other.)
Both of the ultra-wide (on full frame, or just “wide” on cropped sensor) L lenses are on sale. The 17-40 is a wonderful lens for stopped down landscape and similar shooting on full frame bodies, and the 16-35 is a great choice on full frame if your main need is for shooting hand held in very low light.
The 85mm f/1.2 L is certainly a fine lens, and for the very small number of people who actually need it this is a good savings. (Frankly, the vast majority of 85mm prime users will be at least as well served by the much less expensive non-L f/1.8 edition.)
For cropped sensor camera shooters looking for (what I regard as) the “best” lens for high quality general use, the EFS 17-55mm f/2.8 IS may be ideal. For most cropped sensor camera shooters – even the most “serious” – I think it is a better choice that either the 17-40 or 16-35 L lenses.
The EFS 10-22 is pretty much the only Canon option for those who want ultra-wide angle coverage on cropped sensor bodies, and many people (especially landscape shooters) rely on this lens.
(If you find this information and other resources posted at this site to be useful, please consider purchasing through these B&H Photo/Video links in the post. You’ll get the same price and your purchase will help support the operation of this site. Thanks!)
Photographer and visual opportunist. Daily photos since 2005, plus articles, reviews, news, and ideas.
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