It only takes a click on a shutter button to capture a scenery or a subject. Whether it’s an ancient building or the happiness in someone’s eyes, every capture would tell stories to its viewers. That’s photography—it allows anyone to create stunning images.
Are you new to photography? If so, have you faced any challenges while practicing it? If you answered yes again, then you might haven’t been told about the few common mistakes that other beginners in photography have committed.
In this article, you’re going to discover the common photography mistakes that beginners like you must avoid. But if you think you’re already a bit more advanced, you might still learn some tips to improve your photography.
#1. Not Shooting RAW Photos
There are plenty of reasons why you must shoot in RAW. But before that, you must know what it is. RAW is a format that collects all the sensor data whenever you snap a picture. Because of this, you’d be able to produce a higher quality of snaps, gain more levels of brightness, get more detailed photographs, and never have to worry about ruining a photo during the editing process. On the other hand, if you shoot in another file format like JPEG, the data of your image will be compressed and could be lost.
On the bright side, there are a plethora of cameras nowadays that can shoot RAW photos. Even second-hand cameras have such a feature. If you visit cameraworld.co.uk or any other used camera retailers, you can find out how reliable such cameras still are and how they could turn your snaps into a stunner.
#2. Not Going Near The Subject
Has it ever happened to you that your photographs failed to yield your desired results despite how stunning the scenery was? Another mistake that beginners make isn’t capturing close to their subject. Every time you take photos, you probably scrutinize its focus, white balance, and exposure. Now, why don’t you try going over the image’s composition? Are the objects or people included in the photograph necessary? Or did it only take away your photo’s composition and cause a distraction?
In taking photographs, it’s crucial that you know which to include because your choices will either add or take away the story behind your shots. If you’ve been cropping your previous pictures during the post-processing, then you might need to keep reminding yourself of the relevance of getting closer to your subject.
#3. Using Auto Mode All The Time
Some beginners in photography may find it tempting to put their cameras in auto mode in taking photos. This is because such a camera mode is said to adjust the aperture and shutter speed based on the brightness of the scene, which makes the exposure value equal to zero. However, this could be a mistake.
Shooting in auto mode allows your camera to decide the image’s settings. As a result of this, there could be no artistic interpretation of your subject wherein the auto mode may not look anything like the image you have in mind. It could be hard to do any modifications anymore since the auto mode did a lot of changes already.
Luckily, you can still make peace with using auto mode all the time. You can start by mastering the ins and outs of aperture mode. Eventually, once you’re used to it, you’ll realize how it’s better to have control of the outcomes of your photographs.
#4. Not Remembering The Basics
When you’re too occupied with adjusting the exposure, angles, and composition of your photos, you might forget about the basics in photography—the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. These will most certainly be a great foundation for great photographs.
One example is failing to increase the ISO. A high ISO boosts your camera’s sensitivity to light, making it suitable for low-light instances. Another example is using a slow shutter speed. Because shooting moving objects usually necessitates a relatively fast shutter speed, you’ll need to strike a good balance between your aperture and shutter speed.
#5. Being Dependent On Post-Processing To Fix Errors
There are countless photo editing tools and software available to both novice and amateur photographers. There’s nothing inappropriate with post-processing unless you become reliant on it to correct your mistakes. Post-processing isn’t for fixing bad pictures; it’s for bringing out the best in the already good ones. If you don’t have any experience in photo editing, it might be a smart idea to outsource retouching services to save time and get professional-looking results.
When shooting, it’s critical to keep the photos as realistic as possible. Remember not to over sharpen as this can cause excessive noise. Second, be mindful not to overdo it with the saturation slider as this will result in pictures that look exaggerated. Lastly, don’t become too enamored with the crop tool. You can use it to fine-tune your composition, get rid of unnecessary elements, and ensure a straight horizon line, but don’t use it to eliminate all of the negative space in your image.
Final Say
It all comes down to this: you’re going to make errors, and that’s okay. All you have to do is put in the extra effort to enhance your photography skills. Learn all you can about your camera and discover which style of photography fits you best!
