In the early years of my photography life, I practiced "photography by acquisition." I gathered to me gear, knowledge, techniques, an inventory of images, and occasional accolades. As I've grown older and seen things more clearly, I've come to realize that an important part of progressing in the art life is letting go of ideas and practices that aren't productive. As futurist Alvin Toffler once said, "The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read or write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn." In other words, letting go in order to move forward.