Originally posted by MossyRocks Having had one of my discussions resurrected caused me to look back at an image I posted in the critique forum that I hadn't looked at in close to 6 months. When I posted it I thought it was pretty good, but that 6 months later look again I finally saw why it wasn't as good as I thought and finally understood why. I take that as I sign of how much I have grown since posting it and now appreciate the advice given even more. While I have made an effort to comment more I also have tried to make sure those comments weren't just pointless spam as have others, even if others were reviving long dead discussions.
That's something very sensible you are saying in here: we develop as photographers over the time; our experiences, every picture we take, every framing we try, every picture we visualize even before pressing the shutter button are making us grow a little bit.
I find myself, sometimes, thiking about submitting a picture to a forum for others to comment on; or maybe to a competition, and always thinking: this was a very effortless picture! yes, you tried the best light, the rule of four thirds, balance of shadows, blah, blah, and it's still bland. And the, I sometimes find less than perfect picture that transmit such emotion and trigger so strong memories... But is' all emotional attachment, I know. Some are good pictures gone not-that-good, but despite the technical fails, they transmit, they tell, they are a portrait of someone. And those I find dear, although they aren't good ones; so I often wonder why send the dear ones? They are telling stories to me, nobody else. It's hard to tell stories for the world! But every time I watch an old picture of this kind, I learn something again.
Revisiting our old self and having that sort of inner dialogue (qith the help of others, usually) is really a positive way to push ourselves further.
Thanks for the food for thought!