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Last Updated on January 10, 2016 by PixelPluck
15 Photography Mistakes That You Must Avoid.
We all start photography as a beginner. The faster we learn the techniques, the better it will be. There are lot of basic mistakes that most of the beginners do. It is important to rectify the mistakes and errors to get good photos. Here are some common mistakes to be avoided.
1) Not reading the owners’ manual
Most of the beginners dump their owner’s manual and prefer learning by doing. But the owner’s manual which came with your camera is the best source of any information you may need. Just by going through manual, you may learn about new features and functions which previously you were not aware of. This is the most common photography mistake done by most of us. The owner’s manual is like bible of Photography
for that specific camera model.
2) Shooting everything in AUTO mode
AUTO is good to start with, but as you learn more you should get out of that AUTO mode and experiment with other modes available on your camera. The IQ of a camera is lower than your IQ. When you get out of that AUTO mode you will be able to control your image. You will get creative freedom where the only limit will be your imagination. All bridge
and DSLR camera come with manual mode.
3) Using the wrong ISO value
In AUTO mode the camera decides the ISO value automatically. We discussed in detail about ISO in our previous post. So high ISO value will give grainy image. Thus sometimes when you would like to avoid grainy image the camera may still bump up ISO to get good exposure and thus spoiling the image. Use a balanced ISO value and compensate with shutter speed and aperture accordingly to get a good image.
4) Always shooting in JPEG format
JPEG is good. But RAW is better. When you shoot RAW you can adjust the parameters and values even after taking the photograph when you are processing it through any software. Basically RAW format images have much more information stored in the file when you compare them with JPEG format. Read JPEG vs RAW.
5) Choosing the wrong lens
You can shoot all kind of Photographs with all the lenses. But a lens has a speciality for different type of shooting. You may use different lens for creative representation. But prefer using a good prime lens
to shoot a portrait than your kit lens. A prime lens is generally sharper, offers shallow depth of field and beautiful bokeh (blurred background). Similarly you may consider using a wide-angle lens
for a landscape to get more area into the frame.
6) Using wrong focus mode
There are different focus mode options available on the camera. Depending upon what focus mode you are using, you may get faster auto-focus or slower auto-focus. Use focus modes correctly to get the right focus. We will discuss different focus modes in detail in our next posts. Meanwhile you may refer to your owner’s manual to see what focus modes options you have on your camera and what are they used for. If you lost your owner’s manual you may search for one on internet.
7) Not knowing about BULB mode
Long exposure photography gives a whole new perspective. There are endless creative possibilities when using long exposure. From photographing milky way to shooting star trails, from traffic light streaks to moonlit lake, from lightening strikes to moving clouds. Sometimes a longer than normal exposure is needed. Most DSLRs have a BULB mode where you may extend your exposure time beyond the 30 second value. You just have to turn the dial to BULB mode and then use remote
or shutter cable. Remotes are inexpensive and great addition to your DSLR accessories.
8) White balance always off
Even though you can always adjust white balance during post processing, sometimes it may be better to set it inside the camera itself. White balance can be adjusted with aid of grey cards
.
9) Not backing-up the data
Its better to take preventive measures than to regret it later. Backing up your image data should be a part of your routine. Every-time you are done shooting. try to backup your data on multiple storage device. Cloud storage may be a great option if you have a good internet connection.
10) Not using flash properly
Flash are not only meant to be used during night when there is no light. It may be used during the day also to fill in the shadows when a subject is back-lit. Also its important to understand different flash modes. Also learn to use external flash. They will take your photography to next level. There are some great flash units which are vale for money and used by even professional photographers. Eg. Yongnuo Flash
.
11) Using poor editing software
Try getting a good image in camera itself. It should not require much editing until you are doing a photo manipulation. The photo editing software changes a lot of digital information present inside the file when they process the final image. When you use a low quality editing software there are chances that you will loose crucial details from the image. You will not be able to get that information back when you reprocess that image and you have lost the original image. Adobe Lightroom
should be your standard if you are serious about digital photography.
12) Not buying enough memory cards and battery
You never know how much of battery and how much of digital storage space you will need when you go out shooting. Always carry few spare fast memory cards
and at-least one backup battery
.
13) Over-processing an image/creating a faux “HDR” image
New photographers have a tendency to over-process an image or create a surreal HDR image to give a punch to image. The punch may become distasteful for most after a limit. Avoid over processing. Subtle HDR images may look more appealing than highly manipulated HDR images with supernatural colors popping out and hitting your eyes.
14) Using FORMAT button in place of DELETE
Use FORMAT button cautiously. Its better to delete individual image than to format the card itself unless you are running out of space. Also make a habit of previewing all images on larger screen rather than viewing on camera lcd and deciding over it.
15) Always ‘Safely remove’ memory cards from computer
Always and yes always Use ‘Safely remove’ option when you take out the card from computer after transfer. Also use camera itself to Format the Memory Cards
and not the laptop. Chances of corrupting the card are high when you directly remove it or remove it when file transfer is in process.
What are the common mistakes that you do as a photographer ? Let us know in comments below.
