I found this description of this wonderful photographer’s editing process in a book called Contact Theory. It is a wet process, and therefore quite slow, but I have no doubt that that slowness contributes to his work.

Here is Krause’s description (note my highlight). There’s a lot to learn from him right here:

There was a time when I worked long and hard to make beautifully printed contact sheets. I still encourage others to take their time and get the most out of the negative when printing their contacts. It now matters little to me that the contact print is too dark (rather too dark than too light as I prefer to view my contacts on a light table) or that there may be scratches on the glass in the contact printer. I’ve become impatient and contact sheets are now necessary only as a brief first stage in the editing of my work. While contacts are convenient for examining the progress of an idea during photographing, the importance they play in the editing and understanding of my ideas has been replaced by what I call “sketch prints.” These sketch prints can be seen in the print I’ve selected for this article. The making of contacts is still a most exciting and magical step in the process of finishing a photograph. I first anxiously look over the wet contact sheets. (I don’t imagine I will ever approach this initial stage calmly or patiently.) Once dried, I again look over them marking with a yellow grease pencil those that seem promising. With mixed emotions (disappointed and excited with what they have shown me) I put the contact sheets away for a few days, allowing the first impressions (after image) to form.

Later, in a calm and self controlled state I attack them for a third time and at this point I often discover images missed completely in the earlier viewing.

These overlooked images I now mark in red grease pencil. I then cut the contacts sheets into strips and fasten them onto the negative envelope containing the corresponding negative. This is my filing system.

Those contact strips/negatives that I understand completely and hold no beauty or mystery for me I throw away. The remaining contacts/negatives are divided into two piles–those I understand and like and those I don’t. Many of my strongest images come from the second group. Once the initial editing has been done, because there is a kaleidoscopic charm/danger inherent in a contact sheet, I have to isolate the individual image from the others on the contact sheet. While printing the sketch prints I may find still others on the contact sheet that surprise me.

The sketch prints are then placed on my wall to study and live with for awhile. I have evolved this editing process to help me to better understand my work and know how to put my thoughts and ideas into the final print, it is a complex process and often takes many years.