Disastrous Mistakes that Beginner Photographers Keep Making

So, you bought a new camera and you want to make some quality pictures. Your goal is perhaps to have a collection that you can be proud of, or maybe you want to sell photos online, or maybe build a portfolio that will help you get a job in photography.

These are all great ambitions, but there are so many details that beginner photographers tend to neglect. So, if you want to be good at this, you need to do things right, and avoid making some of these typical mistakes. Here are some disastrous mistakes that beginner photographers keep making. 

Colors are too strong

If all of your photos are rich in color, then you might not be doing something right. Of course, there is nothing wrong with vivid and colorful pictures, but they are not always adequate if you want your photo to have a personality.

For example, if you want to capture the spirit of an Indian Holi festival, then yes, strong colors are definitely what you need to go for. However, capturing an empty street and making it vibrant is not what you should do, because strong colors simply contradict the whole point.

First of all, you need to know how to take photos in different weather conditions, as well as how to protect your equipment. Then, you’ll need to use photo editing software to help you out with color intensities, and most importantly, you’ll need a quality monitor in order to do the editing process properly.

This the reason why sometimes photographers share photos that look good to them, but to the spectators, it’s nothing special. If you do not have a monitor that is color calibrated, then you can’t edit your samples properly. 

Thinking a good camera will do all the work

This ties in very well with the previous suggestion. You cannot simply share raw materials; your photos need to be edited. Many believe that if you have an expensive camera, you can be a successful photographer, but the thing is you must know the art of photography.

A good photographer is someone who pays attention to details, and who knows how to alter the image in a way that it is truly outstanding. So, in addition to learning how to use your camera, you need to learn how to manipulate photos, if you want to be a professional.

Your photos are not sharp

Much like with colors, intentional blur has its artistic value and can be used to make the picture more powerful. Also, if you are doing portraits, it is important to stress some facial features. You should focus on the eyes, not on the ears or nose.

In order to achieve this type of focus, your shutter speed needs to be one over your focal length. For example, if you are using a full frame camera with a 50mm lens, your shutter speed needs to be 1/50^th of a second, plus you can even make it faster, just to be on the safe side.

The absence of subject

Randomness and free flow are not really good for making a good photo. In order to create a good image, you’ll need a subject or a purpose behind your shooting. Think about what you are trying to say with your photo or what emotion you are trying to inspire – joy, melancholy, doubt, etc. and use these goals as your guidelines. Once you are finished with your photo, ask for a second opinion, and see how the image that you’ve made is affecting the viewer.

So, this roughly covers it. These are some mistakes that rookie photographers tend to make. In the event that you wish to improve, try to use this article and work on your shortcomings. It may take some additional investment, but if you truly love this, it will pay off.