Remember when you first picked up your camera and thought “THIS IS SO EXCITING” and then, “OKAY WAIT, WHAT DO I DO NOW?” I made a lot of beginner photography mistakes my first few years, a solid decade+ ago! I decided it might be nice if you could learn from mine instead of experiencing them on your own. So I whipped up a little YouTube video with 5 beginner photography mistakes and how to avoid them! They are general, but also specific and perfect for anyone wondering where to start to take better photos today.
Beginner Photography Mistakes #1 Worrying about gear
I call this the gear trap! Instead of worrying about learning how to use and optimize the camera you have, you spend hours researching the NEXT best thing and what gear could make you better. I am a firm believer in the idea that the best camera you can have is the one you already have access to. There will always be a better camera or lens out there, so it’s time to start living and learning how to yours.
I suggest investing in a beginner photography course instead of gear research, to save you time in the long run. Choose an instructor you trust that has the experience and social proof of their course working for others. *Shameless plug for my own photography courses and workshops which you can find here and here…
Mistake #2 Not moving
If you have a beginner DSLR or even a phone camera, a common mistake is forgetting to move and change your perspective. Beginner DSLRs usually come with a kit lens that zooms, so it is easy to fall into the habit of turning the zoom instead of moving your body and interacting with your subject. The closer you get to your subject, the more you will engage with them and I think that the connection there is one of the most important reasons to even bother picking up your camera, especially if you are a parent photographing your children.
Mistake #3 Moving too quickly
I know, hypocrite much? On the flip side of that coin, you can actually move too quickly when photographing, too! Hear me out. Digital photography makes it very easy for us to hold that shutter button down and use the old fashioned, “spray and pray” method. Just because we CAN take a hundred shots a second, doesn’t mean we should!
The number one tip I give new photographers is to actually slow down when you are photographing! I always tell my photography students that one of the hardest things to do when starting out is simply to slow down and really look. When you slow down you can start to really notice the light available and begin to form an understanding of how it relates to your camera, settings, and subjects. I also recommend paying attention to your background and making sure it is as clear of clutter as possible. That’s a super quick way to elevate your photo and draw your viewers eye to your subject.
Mistake #4 Bad lighting
While you are slowing down, you should also pay attention to the highlights and shadows on your subjects. Highlights are the brightest spots of light on your image, where light is hitting the hardest, and shadows obviously the darkest. One of the most crucial skills you will learn as you practice photography is how to read and manipulate light to take better photos.
There is both an art and science to learning light. Light is what makes up a photograph. You will literally have a blank black image without light. Understanding the way light travels, the quality of the light you see, and how you can manipulate and record it is the essence of photography. Now, this doesn’t mean you can’t take a great photo in bad light, it means as you gain experience and practice, you learn how to work with lighting better, including how to record an image using the correct exposure settings on your camera.
My best tip to avoid the impact bad lighting can make on your image is to again, pay attention to those highlights and shadows. Consider the quality of the light. Is it soft or hard, and how it is impacting your subject. If you are working slowly like mentioned before, and moving your body, you’ll be able to quickly see what the most flattering way to position yourself and your subject is in your current lighting.
Mistake #5 Using auto modes
Okay I feel bad saying this one, but truly, you are underutilizing your camera if you are using the auto modes on your mode dial. Using the hybrid modes and more importantly, fully manual, gives you maximum technical and creative control over your images. In auto modes, you are giving your camera very minimal information about what you are photographing, and hoping it can use it’s built-in light meter to read the light and capture the image accurately.
In manual mode, you can tell it exactly what it needs to know and do to photograph your scene, allowing the camera to instead use it’s brain-power to give you helpful feedback and record how you tell it to.
More Resources
I’m sure there are plenty of other mistakes I could go on and on about but I’m a glass half full kinda person and we ALL make mistakes. Hopefully you learned from some of my mistakes in this video and can carry them with you in your photography practice! Good luck and see you next time!