Beginning Photography – 5 Common Mistakes To Avoid

Photography is an exciting and challenging hobby that is accessible to almost everyone who has an interest in it. The great thing about photography is that anyone can pick up a camera and start taking pictures, but if you choose to learn more advanced methods there can be a steep learning curve. Then again, there are a few common pitfalls that you may wish to avoid if you’re just getting started.

Gear Everywhere!

It’s easy to get swept up in all of the possibilities for your photography gear. Tripods, extra lenses, filters, darkroom gear, timers, lights, reflectors – the list is endless. However, without a solid foundation and a clear understanding of what your camera is capable of on its own, you’ll never be able to show true mastery of all of those accessories. It’s best to start off small with a basic digital SLR (or 35 mm film camera if you prefer) if you’re serious about learning photography. When you feel like you’ve pushed that as far as you can, then start looking for some fancy attachments.

One Missed Shot

In the beginning, it’s common to miss a lot of great shots. There will also be times when you get a shot but it turns out badly. For this reason, it’s probably a good idea to take every photograph at least twice. This will help teach you about the subtleties of your camera’s inner workings, as well as provide a bit of safety in knowing you won’t miss the important things. In this day of digital photography, there is little additional cost in shooting hundreds of images compared to only shooting ten.

Turn the Flash Off

The flash really isn’t your friend. An automatic flash can prevent you from properly learning how to handle complex lighting situations and sometimes even ruin your images. Turn your flash off and force yourself to adapt to natural light using only your wits and your camera’s settings – you’ll be better for it in the long run. You can take pictures without a flash in almost any environment. All you have to do is be a little creative in how you use the light that’s available.

Improve Your Composition

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to put your subjects in the exact center of the frame. This can create unnecessary space in your pictures and make them less interesting. Try to imagine the frame of your camera as cropping tool and get everything that’s important in there, without any wasted space. Good framing is something that doesn’t take long to learn and will improve your work for a lifetime.

Simple Cameras

Simple digital cameras with giant LCD screens on the back are certainly tempting, but if you’re hoping to learn about the art of photography and challenge yourself to improve, you’re probably not going to get anything out of a point and shoot camera. Many beginners pick these cameras due to their convenience and affordability, which is absolutely fine if you’re only intending to use it for non-professional or artistic purposes. If you want to take great pictures and expand your knowledge of photography, you will need to have the right photo tools for the job.

Now that you know these 5 common mistakes, you can steer clear of them and focus your efforts on practicing and expanding your photography knowledge. The only things that are important are building good shooting habits and continually challenging yourself to do better – the rest will come over time. By regularly taking pictures and avoiding these common pitfalls, you’ll be taking great quality pictures in no time that you’ll be happy to display in a beautiful picture frame in your home.