Do you value your old images? I just binned a pile of prints..

Morning all, UK time.  I need to move house this year so starting to sort out my piles and piles of ..stuff :)  I had lots of cardboard tubes full of A3 prints from my early photography days.  I looked at it and thought, i'm never going to use these so I binned them all.  Some of them were selling for £50 each some years back when they were featured on the front cover of a popular UK magazine, Ideal Homes.  I used to do macro photography in my early years so these were B&W flower prints.

This got me thinking.. with all the famous past photographers (i'm not saying I am one or will ever be one*).. when did their work become good enough for people to value it?

My prints dated back to 2009-2012 ish.  I started portraits (where they were starting to good enough for me to start wanting to print them from around 2013-4).  I was making my own annual model photo books by this point and these I did keep.  I think with portraits they evoke a memory and it's a unique point in time that can never be exactly replicated. Models get older etc etc.  

If I photographed streets and it showed old cars that captured a period in time I would value these too.  Macro photos of plants can be replicated (and improved year on year).  Landscapes of a generic scene on a blue sky day can be replicated.  I would say the exception for landscapes is a freak weather event + landscape (and perhaps + people in the frame too).. that is less easy to repeat.

This recent photo for example - https://www.flickr.com/photos/32681588@N03/52694850949

What about digital files.. how long do you keep stacking your harddrives.. will you really ever look at your old photos in 10 years time?  I have 8 external HD full sitting on my desk.  I fill them, buy another repeat (unplugged once I start the next one).  I'm now thinking rather than buy another 3TB HD maybe I just re-use my olders ones.. hmm.  

I rarely go back to old digital files but I do go back to old film photos and edit them to post as I find time.

I posted this last night - https://www.flickr.com/photos/32681588@N03/52698874229

I use the website called Flickr to post my favourite (and hopefully best work) to.  This is backed up by them.  When I make photobooks I pick the best photos I posted on Flickr and download them full res to make the photobooks with (I upload full res).  I guess i'm OK as long as Flickr is around (I've uploaded 11,623 photos there since starting in 2008).

New photobooks for 2023.  For Patreon VIP I print a photobook each year and send you a free copy once you've been signed up for 12 months from the previous January.  I can also make the books available to everyone to buy to as i've done in the past if you want one.  These are on my to do list so if you're wondering i've not forgotten!

Have a good day!  Back to sorting my stuff and then I need to record a video for YT!