There are those who say you should delete all of your unedited photos right after you make them. Do not clutter yourself with images that didn't work. Move on. They say it make you become a better photographer. I was never one of those photographers.
I purchased my first network attached storage (NAS) server in 2007, a mere two years after I began making photos. The primary reason was to protect the photos I made. It was a two terabyte NAS. I couldn't believe I was working the realm of terabytes. What is the size of the NAS server I use today? 24 terabytes. And it's already half full.
Yes, I'm a bit of a pack rat when it comes to old photos. I never really bought into the idea that I should delete the photos that didn't work. I wasn't sure why I made that decision, but I sure am glad I made it.
While my photography skills have improved since 2005, so too has my editing skills. Photos I would never even thought about retouching back in 2006 I have been able to turn into masterpieces today using some simple digital editing techniques. Above are four examples of photos from 2005 that have come to life in recent weeks with some Photoshop trickery and a greater attention to curating my collection of unseen images.
This winter I am embarking on an effort to resurrect those photos on my hard drives that have never seen the light of day. I guess you could say I am "digitally remastering" them. Most of them are Wisconsin photos, but almost all of them are examples of my early rural photography. And I hope my Montana family and friends will appreciate them nonetheless.
