Why Your Best Photos Might Still Be Hidden on Your Hard Drive
A reflection on what we leave behind — and why putting your work out there matters, even if no one buys it (yet).
We’ve all done it.
Captured a moment, processed it with care, maybe even loved it —
Then left it sitting quietly on a hard drive.
No likes.
No prints.
No audience.
But here’s the thing:
Your photo doesn’t need to go viral to matter.
It just needs to be seen.
A quiet morning in Venice. One of those images that almost never left the hard drive.
Why visibility beats perfection
I’ve seen many photographers — pros and hobbyists alike — hesitate to share their work because they don’t feel it’s “ready,” “original,” or “good enough.”
Meanwhile, someone else uploads a casual shot, and it connects. It’s seen. It starts conversations. Sometimes it even sells.
And those files sitting on your SSD? They’re not just missed opportunities — they’re silent stories, waiting for a stage.
Licensing, agencies, and... not selling
Here’s something I’ve learned after decades in this industry (and yes, on Getty):
Even if your images don’t sell, submitting them to agencies — or showcasing them in galleries, portfolios, or platforms — is always better than leaving them buried.
You learn. About editing, curation, trends.
You grow. Confidence and visibility go hand in hand.
You connect. Someone might see your Venice back alley, your Budapest café, your foggy morning in Burano — and feel something.
And sometimes that connection turns into a sale, or a job, or just a message that says: “I love this.”
A little nudge if you’re sitting on a mountain of photos
Start small. Upload ten.
Add captions. Context.
Put them on a gallery, a blog, an agency. Even a print shop.
The perfect time won’t come. The perfect image doesn’t exist.
But sharing — that’s always worth it.
In my next paid post, I’ll be going deeper into where to share — comparing platforms like PhotoShelter, Format, Alamy, Zenfolio, and a few unexpected options.
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