Collections
Building a small image library with real staying power
A personal image library is most useful when it is not trying to contain everything. The goal is not to save every image you admire. It is to keep the ones that continue to speak to you, even after the rush of discovery has passed.
Save with a little friction.
The heart button is there for the images you want to return to, not just the ones that look good in the moment. Before saving, ask one simple question: can I imagine opening this again next week? That small pause gives your collection a point of view.
A tight collection becomes easier to use. When you want to refresh your desktop, you can browse a few meaningful options instead of starting from an endless stream.
Collect contrasts.
A useful collection has different kinds of energy. Keep an open landscape for when you need space, a close detail for when you want texture, a city scene for movement, and an abstract image for days when a literal place would feel too much.
This is less about completing categories than about noticing what you reach for. Over time, your saved images become a quiet record of your taste and the moods that help you work well.
Edit from time to time.
Revisit your collection every few weeks. Remove images that no longer feel relevant, and let new discoveries take their place. Editing is not a loss—it keeps the library responsive to who you are now.
If an image still catches you after several visits, keep it. Those are the photographs that earn a longer place in your visual life.