Forgotten Cricket Photos Giving 2021 a new look
Rediscovering forgotten cricket photos? Let me explain how I came up with this topic. I was a photographer for the Japan Cricket Association in 2021. It was a fantastic job. I got involved with the game I loved. Furthermore, it happened in a developing market. It was an exciting time. I would travel to Tochigi or Kanagawa prefectures to photograph games. Quitting it is one of my greatest regrets. But I had other responsibilities that I couldn’t ignore. So why am I talking about it in 2024?
I found some old SD cards the other day. Of course, I loaded them onto my computer to look at them. They contained nearly 2000 cricket photos from the Japan U-19 National Academy Squad Trials in 2021. I was excited to see them.
Some of the files were missing. Those had been passed to the Japan Cricket Association for their public relations purposes. But many had never been published. I forgot them. Why weren’t they used?
It took me some time, but I remember why. The answer was simple. Some photos were okay but not great. Others weren’t good at all (or so I thought, at the time). You have to remember I needed to give the photos to the JCA as soon as possible. I didn’t have time to critique them all. After I passed the files on, the SD cards were placed in a drawer, and forgotten.
But I played around with them in Lightroom when I found them. I had time so I picked the best and started cropping and editing them differently from what I used to. The distractions and unnecessary items in the frame disappeared. Fujifilm’s Astia film simulation also made them look much better.
Forgotten Cricket Photos - which was my favorite?
My favorite shot is of a boy who went for a hook but mistimed the shot. All he did was pull the ball onto his stumps. For a few seconds, he didn’t realize he was out.
Why keep old photos?
Cropping and editing differently changed my photos. They were suddenly useable. Some of them become quite good. I was glad I didn’t delete them. It gave me an idea.
For fun, I asked ChatGPT why photographers shouldn’t delete their work (not only cricket photos!). Here are the ideas it came up with:
- Future Perspective: Sometimes we take less-than-perfect photos. But, our opinion of them might change in the future. Styles and preferences change. Images that were once dismissed might become valuable.
- Learning and Growth: Rediscovering forgotten photos can be a great way to see how your skills have evolved. Mistakes or challenges in earlier work can offer valuable lessons for improvement.
- Backup and Archive: Digital storage isn’t foolproof. Hard drives fail, files get corrupted, and technology changes. Keeping a broader archive ensures a safety net against potential data loss.
- Creative Potential: You mightn’t appreciate your photos now. But your opinion might change in the future. Reworking or reimagining old photos can lead to new and unexpected results.
- Historical Record: Photos can serve as historical documents. They capture moments or details that might be significant later.
Well, the first and forth ones on this list were applicable in this case. I didn’t think these photos were good at the time, but I do now. I’m glad I kept them.
The old photos’ problem
Some of us do have problems with keeping photos. It will be storage. Your computer hard drive has a fixed limit on how many images it can hold. But as ChatGPT suggested, problems can occur. It might fail one day. What do you do when you upgrade your system?
There are options with the cloud or external storage devices. Each comes with advantages and disadvantages. They also require a monetary investment. In the end, you will need to make your own decision.
Conclusion
Rediscovering cricket photos was a great experience for me. It shows why you should hold on to old images. The list ChatGPT made is pretty accurate. We have no idea what might happen in the future. Technology can fail. Ideas can change. Images provide possibilities for future creative and professional endeavors. Maybe you can think of other reasons. Share them if you can.
Rohan Gillett
Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and okonomiyaki. His camera will photograph the entire city one day.
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