view larger for a better appreciation of changes
Here is an image that I shot and processed in Photoshop 5 years ago next to the same image processed yesterday. I have started to go back and revisit some of my images of the past and comparing how I would process them now as opposed to then. Why? Couple of reasons... first of all, the programs have changed... Radial filters, better algorithms and better ways to do things have come along. Secondly, my visual library has increased and my understanding and awareness of what helps and hurts an image has grown. I have learned to see things that can improve my image from just 5 years ago... and that is a good thing.
I was talking to a friend the other day about seeing... and having our eyes learn what to look for. He is early in his photographic journey and as we looked at his photos I was able to point out a few things that he just didn't see. Once I spoke to him about paying attention to the background and the corners of his image, he said... "I never thought of that before... but now I see where I have missed that in a lot of my photos."
Our visual library is like that... we have to constantly teach our eyes what to look for in order to see more and more deeply through our own journey. That is why it is so important to look at other's work especially the masters and let folks who "see" more help inform and train your eye. Just being able to sit and talk with folks like Jay Maisel who has is own Encyclopedia Brittanica Visual Library... changes how I look at the world and my images. Shows like the Grid with photo critiques challenge my eyes to see more clearly and to understand what makes a better image.
What I thought was a good image 5 years ago is not at the same level as it is today. I was amazed that I left wrinkles and marks and spots in the frame that I could have taken out... and that I didn't bring a little more focus to the face and work the color balance a little better. My eyes 5 years ago didn't see those things. And that gets me wondering what my eyes aren't seeing today. What will this image look like 5 years from now when technology and my visual library have evolved even more. It is kind of a neat way to track your growth and give new life to old images, along with challenging yourself to really "see" and not get stuck being content with the same visual library that you had yesterday. So grab some old images and give them new life and get encourage by the growth that has happened in your life.