Whilst reviewing the work I’ve edited of late, so I could gather all the Photoshop files for my Digital Darkroom class (I like to show my students my own work, and go through the edits I did, and why I did them), I discovered this shot.

In my view, when reviewing and editing some new work, there are those ‘fence’ shots, where you are undecided to include them or leave them out. These are images where you feel they have something going on that makes them worth of inclusion, but at the same time, there is something undefined, something you can’t quite put your finger on which makes you reconsider their inclusion.

I like to call these images ‘close but no cigar’ images.

If I am tempted, which let’s face it, all of us are, then I would include these shots in my portfolio because it’s just so tempting to try to increase the quantity. I’d much rather have seven images rather than six (even though I think six is a good number, and the images lay out much better as a set).

But it should (hopefully) be quite evident to you all, that the final set above is much more cohesive without the main image of this post.

So to me, it’s really a case of - beautiful image on its own, but perhaps by adding it to the set, I am diluting the collection. This is perhaps a case of sacrificing a good image for the good of the collection. I do it often, and I think you should do it too.