We all know how to shoot pictures— but how few of us know how to delete pictures?

What is a memory?

I think in today’s digital world, to have the discipline to delete a picture is far more difficult than having the discipline to make a picture.

We are all digital hoarders. Why? A fear of losing a memory. Why do we fear losing our memories? We feel that by losing our memories… we lose a bit of our soul, or who we are.

Mistake: You are not your memories. You are not your pictures of your memories. You are you— right now, in the present moment.

I’m drowning

I foresee in the future, you will start seeing more apps and services that promote the DELETION or editing/curation of images, instead of the backing up of images.

Why? We are drowning in a digital sea of images. The attention, energy, and time needed to sift through all those images is wasteful, stressful, and time-consuming.

How do you learn to let go in order to delete your pictures? Some ideas:

1. Gratitude

Take a cold shower. Take a deep breath. Look at your picture, and like Marie Kando, say, “Thank you for sparking joy in my life”. Then delete it, and wish it a peaceful journey into the boat ride into the digital hades.

2. Know what to keep, and what to delete

The foolish thing is to delete all your pictures. Only keep the ones which are truly meaningful to you.

For the really really meaningful pictures, learn how to delete them.

3. Digital Darwinism

If your picture on some hard drive, collecting dust, hasn’t “survived” until now— it did not deserve to live.

Don’t go back, shuffling through old hard drives— trying to find “hidden gems” in your archive of pictures.

Make 1 truly great picture before you die

Even if you have made 5 good and meaningful pictures up until now, that is enough.

And better yet, if you die with just 1 truly great picture under your belt, you have succeeded as a photographer.

Let go and BE STRONG!
ERIC

Book: LEARN FROM THE MASTERS Edition I

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PHOTOGRAPHY PHILOSOPHY

Why do you make photos? Reflect in PHOTO JOURNAL:

• Your Camera is a Blessing
• Reality vs. Perception in Photography
• What’s Your Final Aim in Photography?
• If We Delete Our Pictures, Do We Delete Ourselves?
• There is No Truth in Photography; All is Allowed
• MEMENTO MORI PHOTOGRAPHY
• YOU ARE A PHOTO GOD.
• How to Gain More Control, Freedom, and Happiness in Your Photography
• The Will to Shoot
• The Art of Constantly BECOMING
• The Frame
• How to Increase Your Visual Perception
• Could an AI Shoot the Same Photo as You?
• A Photographer’s Guide to Seeing
• THE LESS REAL YOUR PHOTOS, THE BETTER.
• Photography as Experience
• SHOOT YOU.
• MAKE PICTURES, NOT PHOTOGRAPHS
• Why You Should Ignore Photography and Art Critics
• Do You Live to Photograph, or Photograph to Live?
• Living a Good Life is More Important Than Photography
• How to Start Fresh in Your Photography

START HERE