How do you decide if you really like one of your own images? I’ve found that my first response to an image is not very reliable in the long run. Some, of course, are instant favorites and remain a favorite in the future. But frequently I’ll find that my initial infatuation with an image quickly fades.
I also find that when I revisit my images at a later date, I find favorites that I may have passed by at first. The image above is a good example. When I first reviewed that day’s take I thought it was OK, but it didn’t really sing for me. It was only later when I returned to the image later and spent some time with it that I began to really enjoy the color and symmetry it offers.
The photo, by the way, is from the Rock Island State Park in Tennessee. It’s a little off the beaten path and takes a bit of back road navigation to find, but it’s well worth the trip.