Recently, I was going through old pictures taken many many years ago to keep the disk space reasonable. It was not an easy process to decide which ones should remain or which ones should go to recycle bin and ever ever gone. This is at least for me (perhaps I am a hoarder). Many times, I found pictures that I did not touch at all from the beginning look kind of good now. On the contrary is also true, I found many that I thought was good and spent efforts working on them and now they don’t look that great. Decision is hard and it can wear you out (it did it for me).
Another thing that I discovered or realized while going through the old pictures is how I recall those moments the pictures capture. The pictures only help bringing back stories or what sorts of emotion at the moments. The mind images of them are vague, narrow and in bits and pieces. It is hard to see them clearly again (except for those who have picture perfect memory). It was like reading the summaries of those time again rather.
This picture of a young girl just stood out among many that it was about what is left in my memory. I almost threw it away at first and after so many years I am glad that I didn’t. Not that it is a great picture but the stories that it can help bringing back. I was at the party and seeing her having a great time. Everything was fun to her. She was simply running around people, hiding behind chairs with non stop smiling and laughing with other kids at similar ages. I was having fun watching her and other kids without having much thoughts other than trying to get few pictures of her and other kids.
The picture summarizes the story behind the moment it captured. The summary of the story also makes me sees how our mind perceives things we wanted in order to have fun or happiness as we grow older. Simple thing that can make you happy does not seem to be seen around anymore. I know this is our nature but once in a while it is good to try to enjoy simple things in life.
Please have a great and fun summer (or winter if you live down under) and look for simple things to enjoy!
A Bit of Wiggle Room 
This is such a cute picture, YC. Iβm glad you got good memories from seeing it again. π
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Thank you. I hope good memories remain too π
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Lovely memories!
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Yes, they are. Thank you!
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I’m a hoarder when it comes to pictures too. It’s so hard when you have to delete some to free up the space. Pictures tell a thousand words. That’s such a cute picture
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I understand that makes the process hard even when you try the first folder. Thank you.
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Indeed! You’re very welcome
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That’s a great photo. When I need to clean up photos to gain disk space, I copy the photos to a backup drive before I delete the files off the drive. I never know when I might need one of those photos.
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I do have back up drives too. When space on the main drive grows so the backup space also grow. I am also hoping to see if I can reduce some space to fit a solid state drive one day.
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Don’t throw anything away! Keep those memories and make new ones!
I’ve been trying to do the same thing. Then thought …. let my kids do it later. I’ve got nothing to hide.
If space comes to no space…worry about it then. I can’t imagine ever running out of space.
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I know what you mean. I have too many. There some back up files that I did not know exist. They took a lot of space. I think now I am good for a while. Thank you for your advice.
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Hello!
It would be nice to review old photos. I think I can find a photo of my memories as you did. Thank you for your good post (* ^ _ ^ *)
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Thank you, yes it is good to look at old pictures to bring back good memories.
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Photos are a wonderful memory aide. I have been doing a similar exercise recently. I was also surprised to see how many of the ‘good’ photos are actually very bad from a technical point of view. In the end I didn’t delete many of my photos!
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I know what you mean. There is more than technical aspect of a photo. What it involves with the person who takes the picture is important one too.
I have done this many times before but this recent session I did delete much more pictures than before.
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Such a sweet photo! β€οΈ
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Some pictures are for everybody and some just for you. I suppose it’s akin to a public blog vs a diary.
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You are absolutely right and that is a very good analogy. Thank you!
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I think it’s a fun photo. Even for me who have no memory connected to the photo. But you are right, photos from the past usually hold a special sentiment, particularly for the photographer. And yes, we often expand our vision over time so that images we would have disregarded earlier, suddenly stand out as great years later. For that reason I never through away images.
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Thank you Otto. You are absolutely right about we often expand our vision over time. I would say this post was partly inspired by one of your post that you were in Japan and took some pictures in the sumo training house.
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That’s really lovely to read. Thank you.
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YC, I have so many pictures and I just cannot bear to throw them out. You are so right for when we look at older pictures, memories we have all but forgotten come back as if they happened yesterday. Awesome post!! Thank you! xo
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I understand well. It was not difficult process for me. I got rid some and those were what I think (now) that I will not regret later π
Thank you Amy!
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Hi YC
this photo is so fun and makes you wonder more – and glad it has good memories for you
we recently looked at some ladies too
and is disk space reminds me how more and more computers ow have drives – and some of today’s images take up so much more space than the older ones – whew
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Hi, you are right about images take much more space now as cameras these days have higher resolution. I am trying to keep disk space under certain amount. It was growing at fast pace at some point. I won’t do this too often for sure.
Thank you.
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βοΈβοΈπΈ
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Beautiful and thoughtful post. I think as a landscape photographer I sometimes forget to think about the memories photos capture. That’s why most people take photos in the first place … right? My goal is always to make a fine art photograph I’m proud of. I do have many (50+!) framed pieces that have been in exhibits over the years hanging in my house. A big part of the joy I get from them are the memories of what it was like being there.
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Thank you! Wow… 50+!! in your home. I am sure you have deep memory about each one of them. I completely understand about your intention to create art works and that gives you different memory about them.
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So cute! β€οΈ
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Greetings, my Dear friend!
It was such a lovely surprise seeing your avatar!
I missed you.
warmest regards, ααα
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Thank you for stopping by and it is very nice of you to leave those lovely words.
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Yes photos bring back our old memories. Well written ππΉ
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Thank you for your comment.
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πβ£οΈππΉπππmy pleasure. God bless you.
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It is why I snap photos for the memories I will have later xo
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That is a good idea!
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A picture will evoke memories that we have forgotten. Sometimes talking about them will bring back a smile too.
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Yes, you are right!
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Yes, the power of memories are heighten when we add photography into the mix. The photo you show here is great: color, focus, and feel of movement. These are the ones I too hold onto without knowing why, but later (sometimes much, much, later) the magic of the photo comes through, often taken from a unique perspective and what makes it powerful combined with the memory of the moment, we smile. Your story of the above photo does this, it makes this snapshot more. Beautiful.
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Hi Dalo, thank you for your kind comments and sharing your thoughts!! I hope you are well andE staying safe. I went back to reread “WAKING UP IN KENYA WITH NIETZSCH” after my morning pattern. There are so many things that ring true to me during this restriction period. I hope soon those two desires return again. Please take care and thank you.
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Yes, I think we are on the road to normality ~ may be a bit different, but nonetheless one we can get out and enjoy the people and world once again without too many restrictions. Cheers to you, my friend.
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A material thing I would save in the event of a natural disaster or otherwise, would be photos & usb. I will have to remember in so many years to transfer digital photos because I think a usb lasts only so long. I’d like to print all favorites as well. I know exactly what you mean about deleting any. It is time-consuming and a bit saddening. I shouldn’t snap as many as I do & live in the moment, I’m a glutton for punishment.
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Thank Dawn for your comment. You are right USB or any flash memory type of storage may not last as long as hard drive which now is not common in most laptop or even desktop computers. I transfer contents from them to new devices once I feel that they are old enough (a few years) just incase. More than one copy should also help too for those that you value them.
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It was my pleasure to read your post, so you’re welcome. Seems as though you are already on the case with the tech storage. Glad to know that, and I certainly hope others will value your photos atleast nearly as much as you, later on. I hope my family will.
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Good memories are journeys worthy of a spiritual revival. Thanks for the loving share.
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Thank you for your comments and your visiting π
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Thats a great reason to keep a photo. It is what it means to you or how it jogs your memory.
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You are right, they are good at bringing some fragments of memory.
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