Beginning Photography – 5 Mistakes To Avoid While Learning

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.

Photo Equipment Overload!

It’s easy to get swept up in all of the possibilities for your photography gear. The list of cool photo equipment is endless- filters, tripods, extra lenses, lights, reflectors and timers and so many others. If you don’t have a solid understanding of what you’re able to do with your camera, you’ll never be able to truly master the use of all of the accessories. Start off small with a basic digital SLR or a basic 35mm camera and only one lens so you can really learn the photographic basics. When you feel like you’ve pushed that as far as you can, then start looking for some fancy attachments.

Not Every Shot Will Turn Out

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. Besides, in the day of digital the cost of shooting thousands of images is no more than shooting only ten.

Don’t Use Your Flash

You don’t need it. An automatic flash will at best teach you to ignore complex or difficult lighting situations and will at worse 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. Cameras are quite versatile and can shoot in almost any environment, so try to be creative about how you use the light you’re provided, even when it doesn’t seem like enough.

Fix Your Framing

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. Picture the frame or viewfinder of your camera as a cropping tool so you’ll always compose exactly what you want in your picture. Framing your image properly in the viewfinder doesn’t take long to learn but will make a lasting difference in the quality of your photographs.

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 understand photographs and the ways in which you can create them, you need to start with the right tool 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. When learning photography it’s important to establish good habits and skills early on so you can continue to build upon a solid base of knowledge going forward. 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.