Upload
mehrab1807
View
224
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
1/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid
HOME/ PHOTOGRAPHY TECHNIQUES/ TOP PHOTOGRAPHY SINS AND MISTAKES TO AVOID
Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
OCTOBER 4, 2014 BY NASIM MANSUROV 102 COMMENTS
It seems that many photographers go through a certain cycle of mistakes and errors during their photography journeys and careers. Some of these
mistakes and photography sins have become so predictable, that it is usually easy to identify ones level simply by looking at their recent work. During
my past workshops and one-on-one sessions, I have seen many images that could have been great, if it was not for one or more of the typical mistakes
outlined below. I have personallymade many of these mistakes in the past and some of them I am still guilty and ashamed of even today, although I
continuously work hard on getting rid of them.
1) Using SelectiveColor
Using selective color is a cheesy thing of the past. It was cool back in the day when Photoshop layers were introduced, but the whole trend is now a joke
If you find yourself isolating those pretty flowers from a bridal portrait, please stop. Go b ack and wipe those pictures out from your portfolio. There are
very very very rare cases when selective color really works and I can almost guarantee you that none of your images qualify.
HOME REVIEWS PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS FORUM LENSES GEAR GUIDE ABOUT US CURRENT DEALS SUBSCRIBE SHOP
1.7k
Like
http://photographylife.com/author/megazhttp://photographylife.com/http://photographylife.com/reviewshttp://photographylife.com/photography-tips-for-beginnershttp://photographylife.com/discussionshttp://photographylife.com/lenseshttp://photographylife.com/http://photographylife.com/http://photographylife.com/http://photographylife.com/category/photography-techniqueshttp://photographylife.com/subscribehttp://photographylife.com/gear-guidehttp://photographylife.com/shophttp://photographylife.com/current-dealshttp://photographylife.com/http://photographylife.com/about-ushttp://photographylife.com/http://photographylife.com/discussionshttp://photographylife.com/author/megazhttp://photographylife.com/photography-tips-for-beginnershttp://photographylife.com/lenseshttp://photographylife.com/reviewshttp://photographylife.com/8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
2/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 2
Selective Color
2) Those Dreamy Portraits
Diffusion filters suck, plain and simple. They might have looked good back in 1960s, but thats about it. If your photography teacher wants you to use a
blur filter for portraiture, or you find yourself experimenting with Photoshop blur filters to make your portraits look dreamy, time to go back and learn
better ways to capture portraits.
http://photographylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Selective-Color.jpg8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
3/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 3
Dreamy Portrait
Diffused, blurry portraits are a thing of the past. Time to move on.
3) Impaling and Horning Your Subjects
Paying attention to what happens in the background is important when photographing people and other live beings. When photographing subjects with
trees, electric poles and other similar objects in the background, avoid impaling your subject with the background objects. Pay close attention to the
background when composing your shot and if you see anything that clearly stands out behind your subject(s), move around and see if you can find more
suitable framing that works. For the below shot of the happy groom, all I had to do was move a little bit to the right and there would not have been a large
stick coming out of his shoulder:
http://photographylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Dreamy-Portrait.jpg8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
4/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 4
Impaled Groom
And this pretty bridesmaid would have looked a lot better without the four horns in the background:
http://photographylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Impaled-Groom.jpg8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
5/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 5
Girl with Horns
4) Eye-Level Perspective
Most of us are guilty of walking around straight and forcing eye-level perspective in every shot. If you photograph children or pets, get down on your
knees or lay down to get a much better, more natural perspective. Shooting subjects from above is rarely appealing, because you are most likely including
the unattractive floor / ground and other objects in the background that should not be in your shot. Change your perspective more often and be creative
with how you present your subject.
http://photographylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Girl-with-Horns.jpg8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
6/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 6
Different Perspective
5) That Bokeh Craze
If you find yourself in love with bokehtoo much and the term creamy bokeh is what you are after when photographing your subjects, it might be time to
put your favorite 85mm f/1.4 cream machine back in the closet and force yourself to shoot with a wide angle lens for a few months. Completely isolating
your subject from the background often takes away the essence and the story of the portrait.
http://photographylife.com/what-is-bokehhttp://photographylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Different-Perspective.jpg8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
7/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 7
Bokeh Craze
Take a look at some of the iconic and award-winning portraits and note how the photographer placed the subject relative to the background. You will see
that without the background, the portrait often loses its essence. It is rare to find story-telling photographs that focus only on the subject alone. SteveMcCurrys Afghan Girl is a rare example that really works and even in this case, if it was not for the torn red veil standing against the green background,
the captivating eyes of the girl and marks on her face, the picture would have never become so iconic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghan_Girlhttp://photographylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Lola-Elise-Portraits-and-Weddings-29.jpg8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
8/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 8
Steve McCurrys Afghan Girl
Unless your subject alone can tell a story, you should always do your best to include the surrounding environment, since it will not only complete the
image, but also make it that much more interesting to look at.
6) The Natural Light Photographer
Whenever I hear someone say I am a natural light photographer, I already know what it means. 99% of the time, it simply translates to I have no idea
how to use flash. While natural light is indeed amazing to use in most situations, if you master flash photography, you can make your images appear
natural without that flash look. Flash is amazing, because it is versatile you can create light when it does not exist; you can shoot indoors without
cranking up that ISO; you can imitate sunrise/sunset and you can eliminate those hard shadows when shooting in mid-day sun. If you have no idea how
to use flash, it is time to learn and move away from your only natural light photographer mentality.
http://photographylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Steve-McCurrys-Afghan-Girl.jpg8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
9/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 9
Beauty Portrait Captured with Flash
There are many great photographers that have mastered both natural light and flash, and they do not fall into this category.
7) Converting Blurry Images to Black and White
Although sharp photos are not an absolute requirement in portrait photography, you will rarely see magazines and online publications publish photos that
are blurry due to bad focus and camera shake. There is a clear difference between intentional blur and blur due to photographers error. I have seen many
examples of portrait and wedding photographers resorting to black and white conversion when they capture an important photo that they could not
capture properly. Why black and white? Because it makes the photo appear like old B&W film photos, which were often blurry, due to technical limitations
of camera gear in the past. Hence, such black and white conversion technique is used to hide mistakes. While I personally love beautiful black and white
photos, seeing a large number of badly focused photos converted to black and white just tells me that either the photographer has no idea how to
properly focus, or has technical problems with their gear. If you find yourself resorting to such conversions too often, perhaps it is time to learn how to
use those autofocus modes. And if your gear is malfunctioning, it might be time to get it properly serviced and calibrated.
8) Using Wide Angle Lenses for Portraits
That nifty fiftylens of yours is great for everyday photography and portraiture. But if you put it close enough to a subject, it will surely distort their face.
Anything below 60-70mm tends to distort and warp subjects when they are too close, making their facial features appear unnaturally big. It is one thing
to go wide for fun, and another to distort a good looking subject by either going too wide or being too close. If you use a 50mm lens, dont try to frame
your shot by filling the subjects face, especially on full-frame cameras. If you really need to get that close, use a longer focal length lens. An 85mm
portrait lens would fit be much more suitable for the job.
http://photographylife.com/a-fifty-for-creativityhttp://photographylife.com/dslr-autofocus-modes-explainedhttp://photographylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Lola-Elise-Portraits-and-Weddings-3.jpghttp://photographylife.com/how-to-calibrate-lenses8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
10/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 10
Wide Angle Close-Up
Wide Angle Close-Up
9) Over-Saturation Galore
I have seen so many great images butchered with crazy colors. When I teach workshops, I always ask people to stay away from the Saturation sliders as
much as possible. A little bit of color saturation is not bad, but too much color makes images appear fake and unnatural. While the definition of color and
its intensity varies greatly between photographers, an over-saturated image is easy to identify. Stay away from too much color saturation and do your
best to make your photos appear as natural and balanced as possible.
http://photographylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Wide-Angle-Close-Up.jpg8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
11/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 1
Over-Saturated Image
Over-Saturated Image
10) The HDR Hole
When I look at most HDR photos, I sometimes wish that HDR was never invented in the first place. HDR is a great technology, but people overuse and
over-abuse it too often. Sadly, most HDR photographs appear plain ugly, with photographers trying to pull something special from a failed photo. There is
now even a term for such ugly photographs: Grunge HDR the ugliest thing of the modern photography world. No shadows whatsoever, flat, ugly and
over-saturated images. Yuk.
http://photographylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Over-Saturated-Image.jpg8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
12/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 12
Water Wheel
If you find yourself liking such unnatural, ugly photographs, you are probably stuck in the HDR Hole. If you have been in the HDR hole for more than a
year, it is time to move on from your GND filters are for noobs attitude. Buy yourself a good set of filtersand learn how to do it right in the camera.
Sadly, many of us get stuck in the HDR hole. I found the below graph to illustrate the point quite well:
http://photographylife.com/lens-filters-explainedhttp://photographylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Water-Wheel.jpg8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
13/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 13
Stages of a photographer
Unless you learn how to properly use HDR and make it appear natural, I would recommend to move on to something new / different. In my opinion,
exposure blending techniques are often far more useful than automated HDR tools with those Grunge HDR presets.
11) Gear Lust
Many of us are victims of gear acquisition syndrome (GAS). As Bob Vishneski pointed out in his funny diseases that plague photographers article, you
could have a number of different addictions that will get you nowhere. Stop worrying about your gear and the latest and greatest. Upgrade only when
you truly need to upgrade. While we post lots of gear reviews and other gear-related content here at Photography Life, we would hate to see any of ourreaders lust for more gear. Treat photo gear as your tools to create photographs. Do not buy something new just because it is better than what you
already have. We typically recommend to skip at least one generation of cameras before upgrading. Manufacturers always want to lure you with newer
gadgets, which is why they make more gear year after year. Look at Nikon, which has announced a total of 9 full-frame cameras in the last 2 years! Stop
worrying about what you have and concentrate on your photography knowledge instead. Gear lust will get you nowhere.
12) Gear / Technical Problems
If you are constantly fiddling with your camera to set it up properly, have no idea how to yield sharp photos or get your exposure right, it is time to spend a
bit more time to get to know your gear. You will not be able to focus on light, composition and framing if technical problems are on the way. First, get to
know how to use the tools properly and only then focus on making images. There are many resources to get that knowledge see our photography tips
for beginnerssection for a long list of articles on exposure, settings and camera gear.
http://photographylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Nikon-D610-vs-D800E-vs-Df-vs-D4-vs-D4s.jpghttp://photographylife.com/diseases-that-plague-photographershttp://photographylife.com/photography-tips-for-beginnershttp://photographylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Stages-of-a-photographer.png8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
14/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 14
Gear Technical Problems
13) Lack of Composition and Balance
Many of us, including myself, suffer from composition and framing problems. While we are still working on adding more articles on composition andframing, I would recommend to read up on composition from other sources and books. Studying art will give you plenty of education on composition and
as you take more pictures and look for better light opportunities, you will learn how to achieve proper visual and color balance in your photographs. Dont
just blindly follow composition rules there are exceptions to every rule. Yes, placing a subject in the middle of the frame rarely works, but it does not
mean that you should be avoiding center placement in every photograph just to be in line with the rule of thirds.
http://photographylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Fuji-X-Pro1-Autofocus-Makes-Babies-Cry.jpghttp://photographylife.com/tag/composition8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
15/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 15
Negative Space in Composition
14) Those Big and Ugly Watermarks
People get so scared that their photos will be stolen, that they put large, ugly watermarks all over their photos. The thing is, if someone wants to stea
your photo, they will find a way to get rid of your watermark. Opening up an image in Photoshop and using the clone tool is not hard and most people
know quite well how to do it. And if they dont, using a simple crop tool found on any photo editing software tool is even easier. In my opinion, the only
proper reason to put a watermark in images is to have people find the person who took the photo. And for that intent, adding a small watermark in the
corner with your name or logo will be far more useful than slapping on a fat and ugly watermark. From my personal experience, photos that do not contain
watermarks or have a very small text/watermark in one of the corners have a higher chance to get viral and shared between people on the Internet.
http://photographylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/%C2%A9Romanas-Naryskin.-Negative-Space-in-Composition.jpg8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
16/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 16
Personally, I rarely ever use watermarks in my photos. I have done it in the past and I abandoned the practice, since they do nothing to protect my work. In
fact, I would love to have a big corporation steal my photos, because I would sue the heck out of them and get rich! Sadly, my photos are nearly not as
good to be a target of theft!
15) The Spray and Pray Mentality
Sadly, digital photography created the spray and pray mentality among many photographers, where one takes thousands of pictures, hoping that one of
them will turn out to be a Pulitzer prize winner. Those fast frames per second and continuous AF-C modes in modern cameras are not created for the
trigger happy photographers that will shoot anything and everything given the chance. They are there for special occasions, such as photographing
subjects in motion. Unless you are a sports, wildlife or action photographer, stay away from shooting continuously and focus on capturing unique
moments instead. Before you squeeze that shutter release button, pause for a second. Think about what you are about to photograph. Focus on framing
composition, visual balance, background, surroundings and your subject. Dont take a picture just in case and learn to slow down and pre-visualize you
shot instead.
8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
17/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 17
16) That Darn Superzoom!
I dislike superzoom lenses (here comes John Sherman with a part three to his 18-300mm article!). Not because they are generally inferior optically, but
because they teach photographers to be lazy. A one lens for all attitude might be suitable in rare situations (such as when traveling), but for most of us
it only harms our potential to make great photos.
Dont be afraid to carry multiple lenses and swap them. Dont be so concerned about dust and your gear condition. Move around. Use your feet. Dont just
rely on a superzoom lens to do the walking for you.
http://photographylife.com/question-18-300mm-lenses-part-deuxhttp://photographylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/photo-2-1.jpg8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
18/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 18
1.7kLike Share 14 Tweet 32
Share this article:
FILED UNDER: PHOTOGRAPHY TECHNIQUES
TAGGED WITH: BLACK AND WHITE, BOKEH, COMPOSITION, FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY, HDR PHOTOGRAPHY, TIPS FOR BEGINNERS
About Nasim Mansurov
Nasim Mansurov is a professional photographer based out of Denver, Colorado. He is the author and founder of Photography Life, along
with a number of other online resources. Read more about Nasim here.
Comments
1) Jon McGuffin
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 9:09 PM
Well Nasim, Im quite proud and glad to say that I feel Ive done a pretty good job of late getting around nearly all of those things above you recommend
with the exception of maybe 1 or 2. Great article and thanks for the post. Now please get on with that D750 review/preview weve been all waiting for!!!!
Reply
28) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:47 PM
Thank you for your feedback Jon! I am working on the D750 review :)
Reply
77) jim ballantyne
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 2:59 AM
see 11).
Reply
102) Fred
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 10:03 AM
Yes Jim!. (why I DBR reviews deliver me not into temptation)
More
Related Articles
http://photographylife.com/http://photographylife.com/tag/flash-photographyhttp://photographylife.com/tag/hdr-photographyhttp://photographylife.com/nature-photography-tipshttp://photographylife.com/how-to-photograph-corporate-portraitshttp://photographylife.com/how-to-take-black-and-white-pictureshttp://photographylife.com/tag/compositionhttp://photographylife.com/nature-photography-tipshttp://photographylife.com/tag/black-and-whitehttp://photographylife.com/how-to-calibrate-your-monitorhttp://photographylife.com/how-to-calibrate-your-monitorhttp://photographylife.com/about-ushttp://photographylife.com/category/photography-techniqueshttp://photographylife.com/how-to-photograph-corporate-portraitshttp://photographylife.com/tag/bokehhttp://photographylife.com/how-to-take-black-and-white-pictureshttp://photographylife.com/tag/tips-for-beginnershttp://photographylife.com/8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
19/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 19
Reply
2) Sherry Rosen
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 9:15 PM
Best article Ive read in a very long time!
Reply
29) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:47 PM
Thanks Sherry!
Reply
3) Alex
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 9:20 PM
Congratulations! Great article.
Reply
30) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:47 PM
Thanks Alex!
Reply
4) David A. Hamments
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 9:34 PM
Hi Nasim, good points as always! Just had to point out that in number (8), I think you meant warp, not wrap. Also wanted to let you know that Ive
received my sensor cleaner from you and it is indeed VERY effective and easy to use. Im looking forward to your detailed review of the D750, as Im loving
mine.
Keep up the good work!
Cheers and good light,
David A. Hamments
Reply
http://photographylife.com/http://photographylife.com/8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
20/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 20
24) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:41 PM
David, yes, that was certainly a typo on my end! Thanks for letting me know :) Glad you like the sensor gel stick, it is a great product!
As for the D750 review, I will be working on it this week!
Reply
5) Henrik Manoochehri
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 9:38 PM
Hi Nasim;
Just traded Nikon gear for Fuji. No high speed flash sync? Oops! As you advise above, I try to use flash for creative lighting but this new camera system
has taken away some of the potential creative power from my gear and I have to use technique, I guess to compensate. Any advice from you or anyone
would be appreciated. what technique or gear is available to replace the high speed flash/fill flash issue with slow syncing gear?
Thanks
Reply
17) David B
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:04 PM
Henrik, I also shoot Fuji, among other cameras. No high speed flash sync is a big problem for Fuji. I struggle trying to shoot wide open or close thereto
during beach vacation, because 1/180 is simply not good enough. And to carry a bunch of ND filters with you on vacation is ridiculous. Honey, wait, I
am just going to unscrew this one filter and carefully try not to have it fall in the sand, and screw on that ND filter!
In that regard, I have discussed that issue at length for a guy who runs Fujirumors site. We disagree. He thinks that Fujis developing a flash (per
rumors) with Hi Speed sync would cure the issue. I disagree because I I believe the inability of Hi Speed Sync is a Camera limitation rather than Flash
limitation. You know like Nikon flashes all can sync hi speed with any camera at D7000 and above level, but you are stuck at listed Flash xsync on all
the Nikons under the D7000. Same flash camera limitation prevents FP.
Now with Fuji I guess we will find out soon if I am right or Fujirumors guy is right. Nissin i40 flash is coming out next month for Fuji. we KNOW For a
fact that that particular flash does Hi Sync speed on all the other platforms: Canon/Nikon/Sony as it is out already for these. So if Hi Sync on i40 would
work with Fuji XT1, I am wrong, if it does not, the Fujirumors guy is wrong.
By the way, the present Fuji flashes (Ive owned two of them including the 42model) suck in general notwithstanding the lack of hi speed sync
Reply
26) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:45 PM
David, yes, ND filters are a pain, but they are the only true workaround in daylight situations. Hopefully Fuji will address these issues in the future,
since flash is definitely its weak point
Reply
http://photographylife.com/http://photographylife.com/8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
21/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 2
32) Henrik Manoochehri
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:49 PM
Maybe you guys can enlighten me on why electronic shutters havent taken over yet. It seems so simple to just let the brain of the camera control
front and rear curtain virtually rather than having a slit physically move across the image plane. Why hasnt every digital camera cone completely
electronic shutter by now. It would eliminate so many problems.
Reply
42) David B
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:02 AM
Henrik, electronic shutters have nothing to do with Flash. 1/32000 is coming to Fuji XT1 in December via firmware @electronic shutter mode.
however, as in with all the other mirrorless cameras that have these electronic shutters, the flash feature shuts off and no flash is available for
use with electronic shutters. So flash turns off and you have to go back to mechanical shutter to be able to operate flash. Fuji is not alone in this,
Panasonic m43 cameras that have been equipped with silent electronic shutter feature for couple of years (G5 was the first I believe, now all their
cameras have it) and the flash turns off if electronic shutter is engaged.
The plus of 1/32000 shutter speed is you can shoot all these 56/1.2 wide open in the midday sun!!! of course if you need fill in flash you are
screwed.
Nasim, not only DSLRs can do Hi Speed Flash. Most every other mirrorless mfr does. Sony A7series/A6000 does HSS with HVL43/58/60.
Panasonic/Olympus does HSS even with older Olympus flashes. It also helps for m43 that 2013 and newer models like Olympus EM1 or
Panasonic GX7 has a native Flash xsync 1/320 which is not too shabby :)
Reply
48) Henrik Manoochehri
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:12 AM
Sorry, Im still not understanding what the difficulty is in having the computer within the camera body synchronize the flash burst with the
electronic curtain at any speed. There must be a technical/engineering reason why this seems impossible. That is my question. But this is off
topic in any case. Great article and hope there are sequels.
Reply
65) gianpaolo
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 1:15 AM
the problem is data readout from a dense sensor.
this is a rather lengthy process, that is done a strip at a time (therefore the roller shutter effect).
a solution would be to stop acquiring light and temporarily store data in the sensor itself, but, being analog data, this is not easy. (of course,
a true digital approach would involve an awful amount of siliconA/D ultrafast and massively parallel, 10s of megabytes of on chip storage
etc.).
global shutter was last used, i think, in D40/50/70 6MB sensor, giving a nice 1/500 sync.
it is interesting to see if this a problem that will be given priority in the future; i am afraid that daylight flash is used only by a bunch of
professionals, of limited sales volume for manufacturersand it is a difficult problem, that would need a lot of R&D funds. we will see
Reply
8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
22/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 22
86) Neil
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 6:24 AM
Those sensors in the D40 et all were CCD based so global read was possible. No global read in CMOS which is why you dont see any
reliable electronic shutter for CMOS cameras..
Reply
25) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:43 PM
Henrick, flash is one area where Fuji cameras are very weak. I f you need high speed sync and faster sync speeds, DSLRs are still the way to go.
Hopefully they will address those issues in the future
Reply
67) Eric Duminil
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 1:48 AM
Thats the biggest reason why I bought Fuji X100s and not the X-System.
Those X lenses look so yummy though.
Reply
87) Neil
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 6:26 AM
The lenses are fabulous. I had Fuji X for 14 months and again have a Nikon D750 Ive been shooting for the past 5 days or so. Fuji has a lot going for
it. There are some definite advantages in a mirrorless system over a DSLR and some disadvantages.
Reply
6) Don B
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 9:47 PM
I agree with all of your points except for one. I especially agree with That Bokeh Craze. But, my zooms are permanently frozen on my cameras :).
Reply
27) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:46 PM
Don, as long as you know what you are doing with those superzooms, you are in good shape :) I was mostly referring to those that have no clue and
use a single lens for everything
http://photographylife.com/http://photographylife.com/8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
23/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 23
Reply
88) Betty
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 6:27 AM
I got rid of my 200-400 some time ago (for inability to pair satisfactorily with converters) and went back to a 500mm and found my photography
improved. As you know, I have very few faults, but one tiny and rare shortcoming was that I have a tendency to fill the frame at the expense of
taking a wider view or exploring a different perspective sometimes. Using a fixed focal length, especially when one is confined to a safari vehicle,
has forced me to introduce more variety into my work with beneficial results.
Reply
7) Michael Switzer
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 9:51 PM
Great article, although I really like the picture that illustrates #4 and HDR can really be spectacular in landscape if used properly.
Reply
31) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:48 PM
Michael, HDR can be spectacular, but sadly, most people that do it end up overdoing it. There are a few great HDR photographers out there that make
realistic HDR and their photos are indeed amazing.
Reply
66) Sascha
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 1:15 AM
Hi Nasim, I totally agree. I am an HDr photographer myself, and I totally dislike this grungy look, I try to use HDR only when it is necessary and not
just for the sake of it. Unfortunately it gives photographers like me who do like to create HDRs a bad reputationTake a look at my pictures if you
like: https://500px.com/vortilion
Most of them are HDR or Exposure Fusion.
Reply
97) Patrick O'ConnorOCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 9:15 AM
Excellent photos. Some photos show evidence of HDR but subtle enough to not be distracting.
Reply
http://photographylife.com/https://500px.com/vortilion8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
24/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 24
8) createthisdotcom
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 9:52 PM
I found this article depressing, but a bit amusing, like, when you look back on your younger selfs adventures with the opposite sex and facepalm.
That graph is disturbingly accurate. I wish I knew where I was on it. Sigh.
Reply
33) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:49 PM
Why depressing? :) Most of us go through these problems, although there are a few more points to add.
And yes, the graph is very accurate a great reflection of 99% of us :)
Reply
9) Don
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 9:53 PM
I agree on the over saturated. However I shot VIVID at Disneyland and Im glad I did. All the images came alive and thats what I was looking for. Of course
after all it is Disneyland. All with a D5100 Nikon.
Reply
34) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:50 PM
Don, vivid works sometimes, but I hope you are aware that it only applies to JPEG images
Reply
85) Betty
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 6:12 AM
You could have shot RAW and made it as vivid as you like in post process without hobbling yourself to a compressed file with no further options to
try a different treatment of the subject.
Reply
10) Mark Oliver
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 10:15 PM
pretty much all pertinent points are conveyed well in this article. the two most points i really think is very true is the watermarking and super zoom
photography.
http://photographylife.com/http://photographylife.com/8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
25/42
8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
26/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 26
Appreciate it and regards,
Trish.
Reply
37) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:53 PM
Trish, no problem! Dont feel bad, because most of the image samples posted above are mine. Some of them I overdid on purpose for this article and
others are extracted from Lightroom as is or as were LOL :)
Reply
13) Prasad Np
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 10:33 PM
Loved this postand it is good to know how objectively one needs to assess the stage of photography journey one is. BTW I have never understood the
craze or the need for HDR but other sins Guilty as charged
Reply
38) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:55 PM
Prasad, I have also been guilty as charged on a number of these :) As for HDR, you should sit on a few critique sessions and you will see how many
examples come by. Some HDR stuff just destroys my brain cells!
Reply
14) Romanas Narykin
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 10:33 PM
Someone had to put this out, although perhaps you missed a couple of points. A couple of other points, well, Ive long wanted to write separate articles
for those. Thanks, mate, gave me a laugh. ;)
Reply
39) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:56 PM
Thanks Romanas! Hope you can add a few more points :) I had a few more originally, but could not find good image samples to showcase from the
past
Reply
http://photographylife.com/http://photographylife.com/http://photographylife.com/http://romanuipatinkafotografuoti.lt/8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
27/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 27
15) Rick Keller
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 10:34 PM
Nasim,
This is a masterpiece of an article. Forthright, no BS, and straight from the heart. Bravo!
Now, tell us whats really on your chest. ;-)
Rick
Reply
40) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:56 PM
Thanks Rick :DD
Reply
16) Colin
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 10:59 PM
I have been a photographer for 45+ years, and this article is excellent.
So many people dont understand composition, then complain when you tells them the rules of composition, because they think they are being forced
into using them. I try and explain they are not photographic rules, but guidelines developed by artists over the centuries. Yes,, the can be broken, but you
need to understand them before you should break them, and you should be able to explain in plain English WHY you are breaking them!
For me, #9 should read I am a natural light photographer because I have no idea how to use light, and I just point and click with what there.
Reply
41) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:58 PM
Thank you Colin!
Yes, thats what I meant under #9. I did not mean to offend any natural light photographer I was referring to those that label themselves as such just
because they do not know / refuse to learn flash.
Reply
18) Stephen
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:05 PM
Jurgen Teller (and many others) seem to have carved out illustrious careers without following anyones well intentioned advice.
http://ilovetheoutdoors.zenfolio.com/http://photographylife.com/http://photographylife.com/8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
28/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 28
Reply
43) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:06 AM
I really wish I did not look up Juergen Teller in Googlemy brain will hurt for months.
Reply
98) Patrick O'Connor
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 9:21 AM
You knowwhen you tell people to not look, they pretty much have to! Now my brain hurts too. This is one of those cases, though, where have a
small brain is useful; mine hurts much less than yours! ;-)
Reply
19) David B
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:07 PM
I would only disagree with Tip number 4 that shooting certain subjects (heavier people, people will double chins, large faces etc) from above is beneficial.
In fact these people (I know because before I lost a bunch of weight I was one of them) should ONLY be shot from Above. You will make them look
skinnier and more attractive.
Reply
44) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:08 AM
David, I used the word rarely there are certainly situations where it works just fine.
Reply
99) Patrick O'Connor
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 9:22 AM
I dunno. There was a definite upside to shooting this particular young woman from above ;-)
Reply
20) Lakshman Iyer
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:12 PM
wonderfully compiled.. there are still more a photographer should avoid and learn to keep the ART as photography art.. Thanks for the writeup
Reply
http://photographylife.com/http://photographylife.com/8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
29/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 29
46) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:09 AM
You are most welcome Lakshman!
Reply
21) Martin Duerr
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:31 PM
Top article! Thanks for that.
The only thing that is missing is in fact maybe no mistake but it is something like Copying Styles.
Or is there another reason that 99% of all fashion and glamour shots look nearly the same?
You cant name any photographer if you see one of those images.
My personal favourite mistake is #3. Im often so concentrated on the subject that I miss some
of the weird textures that appear later on my desktop. ;-)
Best
Martin
Reply
47) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:11 AM
Martin, I like when fashion is mixed with a surrounding environment to make a nice story but those are very rare indeed, as you have noted.
Reply
52) Martin Duerr
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:18 AM
Im glad to have one of Canon Explorers of Light Photographers to be a very good friend of mine.
His advices are indispensible.
One of the most hardest things to achieve is finding a style and avoid the mistakes you described.
But thats like ZEN. The journey is the reward. Getting better every day.
Reply
58) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:29 AM
Martin, great to have good mentors. I would compile a portfolio of photos and sit down with the master to see what he/she says about your work.
That kind of feedback can be extremely valuable perhaps the person can even guide you with the style.
Reply
http://photographylife.com/http://photographylife.com/http://photographylife.com/8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
30/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 30
59) Martin Duerr
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:35 AM
The interesting thing was (and therefore I would recommend a portfolio review as you described) that I havent seen a style in my images but
he saw one. Then he described me what it is and where I can enhance my style.
Reply
22) Carly
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:35 PM
Your comment about being a natural light photographer made me laugh. I like how you are making people think natural light photography is for amateurs.
someone working with all different light who obviously has to know lighting to avoid harsh shadows, avoiding facing the direct sun to avoid blown spots
and washed out skin tone, where to place the subject to get the 10 and 2 catch lights, how to use a reflector when needed, ect.. A good natural light
photographer knows not to shoot in mid day sun, and if you have to, find shade. A good natural light photographer knows about the golden hour and other
tricks to using natural light. So tell me, seeing as you have managed to insult a large group of photographers, how is that easier and amateurish than
setting up studio lights where you leave them set the same way every time and you never have to work around any other light. I much prefer the natural
light than washed out flat light. I also like a good challenge with the light nature provides.
Reply
50) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:15 AM
Carly, I think you misunderstood my point I was not criticizing natural light photographers at all! I was referring to people that refuse to learn flash
and claim themselves as natural light photographers. It is one thing to know both and to prefer natural light (which is what I do) and totally different
to only use one type of light and not be ready for situations where flash is needed.
I love natural light.
Reply
23) Colleen
OCTOBER 5, 2014 AT 11:41 PM
Great article! Funny and spot on. Ive been guilty of many of these sins. I also loved the stages of a photographer graph, but what is /p/ on the how
good you think you are line? Its probably something I should know, and yet another mistake/sin Im guilty of. ;)
Reply
51) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:18 AM
Colleen, /p/ was a group on the Internet where photographers would harshly criticize each others work. Anyone that would submit images to the group
usually would not come back, because they would be told that their images are terrible thats why there is a big drop in that line :)
http://photographylife.com/http://photographylife.com/8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
31/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 3
Reply
45) Prashant Upadhyay
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:08 AM
Hi Nasim,
Very nice article, I am at lower end of the learning curve and making lots of mistake articulated by you :), especially the HDR ones.
Going off tangent ,how do we do a good HDR? I have D3100 , does not have a Exposure bracketing, so I tend to use single exposure for HDR.
The result are over saturated, ghastly and tend to have lot of noise, btw I am using Corel paintshop pro x6 for it.
Do included an article on HDR sometime when you are free.
Reply
53) Nasim MansurovOCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:21 AM
Prashant, time to come out of that HDR hole my friend! Dont get sucked in for too long, or you might start to like Grunge HDR :)
And please, especially stay away from pulling HDR out of a single image! I have done it in the past and it is not good. What I would recommend, is to
move on, learn many other photography techniques and then perhaps come back to HDR and see if you can do something that works and appears
more natural. Good HDR = realistic photo, as simple as that!
Reply
57) Prashant Upadhyay
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:28 AM
Thanks Nasim
Reply
49) Jan
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:13 AM
Great article and made me smile sometimes.
One thing I disagree with you is the use of (subtle) watermarks in a photo.
When watermarked photos shared on my blog or FB, people copy and use them often as background or their profile photoand everyone sees the maker
of that photothats me!
Works very well for me ;-)
Reply
http://photographylife.com/8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
32/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 32
55) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:23 AM
Jan, watermarks work when they are done right. As I have stated, leaving a small watermark with name or logo in images can be beneficial.
Reply
54) Alis
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:22 AM
Hi Nasim
What a great article. Myself Im/was guilty of a few of these sins. Looking at some pictures from last year, I find some of them horrible. I tended to
oversaturate (probably still do) and also used the button clarity too much (probably trying to cheat on blurred pictures).
I did the selective color thing lol
I am also guilty of the natural light BUT most of my pics are working dogs (while working) and running dogs so although Id like to learn more about using
a flash (I dont even own one, please dont throw stones at me), for now I dont have the time. I am now trying to take better action pictures.
I also suffer a bit from GAS and just bought the 70-200 f2.8 vr II. I already own the Nikkor 180mm AF and Tokina 50-150mm DX AF 2.8. So before I bought
the lense of my dreams (and the one of many peoples dreams I guess) I rented it for a week. I used it for our dog seminar and had so many more keepers
than with my other lenses. The fast AF-S focus made all the difference! A Nikon Cash Back discount and my birthday coming up convinced me lol
I loved the chart and wonder where Im atI certainly like the pictures Im shooting now better than the one I shot last year but will I still like them next
year?!
Thank you for this great website!
Reply
56) Nasim Mansurov
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:27 AM
Alis, thank you for your feedback!
Dont feel bad most of the pointed out sins and mistakes were committed by me in the past. In fast, most images from the above article are mine :) I
have tried everything from selective and dreamy to grunge HDR. I was stuck in that hole for a while :)
As for the natural light photos, that does not apply to everyone. You, sports and wildlife shooters do not use flash, so they dont need it. Portrait andwedding photographers, on the other hand, often need to use flash when light conditions are poor
A little bit of GAS is OK, but constantly lusting for more gear is a bad thing. You end up wasting a lot of money and there is no good end to that!
Reply
http://photographylife.com/http://photographylife.com/8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
33/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 33
60) Alexander Shmugliakov
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:50 AM
One of the most sound articles Ive read lately. Should go at first pages of every new camera sold manual (but then who reads manuals anyway? :))
Reply
61) Balaji SeetharamanOCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:50 AM
Great Article! Being a learner i must say excellent pictorial examples. Please continue this good work. One of the mistakes i do is to take multiple pictures
and selecting a better one which i have realized over time by experience is to observe the location for few minutes to preprocess the image in mind and
fire as few shots as possible which will save post processing time. I really follow your blog on these techniques/tips. Thanks a lot from a canon user to
whom you have already promised me last year on a reply to my comment that you will be adding more blogs related to canon as well. I will definitely wait
for that :-) Meanwhile please continue this great work on generic topics
Reply
62) Sneha Rathod
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:56 AM
Great article. I am a beginner myself. Just bought a DSLR camera after long wait. I was making many of the mistakes you mentioned above. I will take
note of all these points from now on. Thank you sooo much for writing :)
Reply
63) Sneha Rathod
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 12:58 AM
BTW, I just bought Nikon D5200 :) and I am super excited on owning my first ever DSLR and get clicking.
Reply
64) shivaram
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 1:01 AM
hi
very nice article.i would more then agree with you on the Gear lust and HDR points.
Reply
68) Tom Crossan
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 1:51 AM
Another great article.
I wonder how many of us have fallen for one or all of these sins especially gear lust.
8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
34/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 34
I know that I have fallen for most including Gear Lust and it has cost me many $$$$$$.
Reply
69) Eric Duminil
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 1:51 AM
For the Eye-Level Perspective, your picture has the advantage of showing the eyes, the smile and the cleavage. :)I wouldnt use it very often, but it works very well for this subject.
Reply
70) David
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 1:52 AM
Great article I am guilty of gear lust just cant stop it. Working hard to avoid some of the others.
Reply
94) Mike Banks
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 8:46 AM
David,
It is truly only gear lust if the gear sits around and you dont use it. Thats the real lust in this equation. Just wanting something because you read that
everyone has one but dont know what you will do with it once you get it.
I have an extensive arsenal of lenses. More than 50. Most are Nikon and many are duplicates in focal length. The reason is that some manufacturers
make lenses that are more contrasty while Nikon offers good contrast but in most cases better color rendition. Sometimes for a particular assignment
I want more contrast so Ill use the Sigma 50 f1.4 Art. If Im going for more color saturation, Ill use the Nikon 50 f1.4.
Where I really suffer from gear lust is with bags and cases. Thats becoming a problem for me.
You will eventually sort out what it is you shoot with most often and pare down the equipment level as soon as you realize that many folks that say
they have this or that are only posting behind the anonymity of a computer.
Reply
71) Karin Ott
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 1:59 AM
Interestingly I resently read an article with almost the exact same points. No doubt we need them :-) But what I liked about the other presentation was it
was presented as phases we go through as photographers. Are they really mistakes? Did you not grow and develop as a photographer from spending
time exploring these different modes of shooting and then move on?
Reply
8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
35/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 35
95) Mike Banks
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 8:47 AM
Karin,
Good point and well stated.
Reply
72) SteveK
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 2:06 AM
Nasim,
Thank you for dealing with the basics. Easy to get ones head in the clouds, fall into ruts and fads and lose track of the building blocks that make for good
photography.
SteveK
Newman Lake, Washington
Reply
73) Ertan
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 2:22 AM
Actually, all of these may work depending on the case. On the other hand I agree that overdoing these is a huge sin.
Reply
74) Jef
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 2:24 AM
oh my gosh ! Number 7) B&W to save a blurry wedding image and number 11) GAS crysis.Thats totally me :'(
BTW thanks for sharing those sins to avoid :)
Reply
75) James gourlay
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 2:40 AM
Nasim,a very well thought out, articulate and down to earth article,that hits the spot,very well done indeed
James
Reply
8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
36/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 36
76) Pieter Molenaar
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 2:56 AM
Number 4; Different perspective indeed ;)
Reply
78) Petra de BruinOCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 4:00 AM
Great article! Especially the parts about saturation and HDR. It annoys the hell out of me that so many people nowadays favor an artificial look over a
natural one. Its chosen more and more as the better option, even in photo contests and that makes me sad. A friend of mine feels the need to lift
shadows in most of his photos and after hes done processing a forest he has taken the essence out of it by making everyting flat. He then grossly
oversaturates everything and is happy with the finished product. To me thats bad taste, combined with color blindness:-), but naturally you are then
tought the lesson that the camera is only a tool and cant capture it like real life. Or, its the photographers style.
The different perspective part made me laughI never thought men would need an encouragement to shoot more cleavage:-)
Reply
79) Colin N
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 4:20 AM
Nasim: Congratulations on an extremely detailed and well-considered article. There is certainly good advice for everyone contained within it. As a
photographer, my expertise sits somewhere between beginner and reasonably competent. That said, I hope you dont mind if I make a point, regarding
item 12? We could think of our camera using the analogy of a satnav. After all, a satnav device stores routes to countless destinations but we would not
expect to use all of them. Instead, we utilise each one we need, as that need arises. Isnt this true of our cameras settings? Lets not get bogged down
with every single setting but rather become proficient with the ones that we will actually use. I apologise for waffling on, rather more than I intended.
Reply
80) Philippe
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 4:48 AM
Nasim,
Great and very refreshing article.
Your site is just getting better and better, and as an enthousiast photographer, it has become my first source of information regarding photography
Thanks for your work ,
Philippe (from Belgium)
Reply
81) David M. Gyurko
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 5:11 AM
(The predecessor of) Photography Life made originally the impression of a gear site, but its scope has been successfully extended to photography
8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
37/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 37
education. The intentional development of photographic taste, standards and of quality in photography in general is both a responsibility and a huge
success story of this site.
Thank you, guys, for making digital photography better. It is one of the hardest tasks to increase the level of standards in mass photography despite the
huge pressure from marketing and manufacturers, yet you made it look easy.
Thank you, again.
Reply
82) Mark
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 5:27 AM
You wrote if it was not for one or more of the typical mistakes.
I think you meant if it were not for . common grammar mistake.
Reply
83) Noel
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 5:42 AM
Another great article with sound advice. There are no shortcuts for excellence.
Reply
84) Ray
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 5:43 AM
OMG, My daughter favorite tweet, Just took a step back and said Im guilty
I occasionally will color a flower in a BW senior photothey never buy it! most of the time Print screen and post on Facebook with proof across there
face.
One of my favorite lens for events is my Tokina 10-17 Fisheye, Gear Junky my Nick name, Nikon 85 1.8 and 50 1.8 for portraits WIDE OPEN!
I Spray and Pray at sporting events, Over saturate (I was Fuji Velvia film nut) love HDR!
I will say the last dream photo I did was over 20 years ago with a Cokin filter, and you wont see an overboard watermark on my
photos but I need something to combat these Tech Savvy kids with FB and Twitter.
Good article!
I will say I do not miss the days of camera straps with 4-5 film canister and a long wait to view my work.
Someone should invent a Plugin for Photoshop and Lightroom that Zaps my Wacom pen to remind me to back off on Filters and Adjustment layers.Todays Technology makes it Too easy to avoid Todays top Sins and Mistakes.
Reply
90) Neil
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 6:35 AM
Good article, lots of timeless points. I would like to really emphasize the gear lust. It not only drains the family coffers unnecessarily but really seems to
lead to this superiority complex in people. Id like to also add a thought, too, that perhaps you should have an article on things you can do to become a
8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
38/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 38
better photographer. First on my list would be to put the camera down. It seems that so many photographers are so scared of missing a shot that they
never put the camera down. Being a photographer removes you from the experience and separates you from the very things that can serve as inspiration.
It also can quickly lead to burnout.
Reply
91) Winc
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 7:42 AM
Great article. You left a big one out in my opinion. The biggest cliche is to stick some neutral density filters on the the lens the moment you see moving
water, transforming it into flowing mist or snow. Its origins in imitation of the limitations of large format lenses in low light are completely forgotten.
Reply
92) Sai
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 8:15 AM
I would be grateful to photographylife if it showed me how to get out of this trap -> 6) The Natural Light Photographer
I really do not know how to use the stock flash on my Nikon D40. No point in buying an external flash if i do not know how to use the one i already have.
Reply
93) Hoeras
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 8:22 AM
Hi Nasim, that article made me smile and agree mostly with it all but as Niels Bohr, Einstein friend and nemesis, once said: An expert? An expert is a
man who has made all the mistakes which can be made, in a narrow field.. Hence we learn by the mistakes we make. Also, when I am asked about digitalversus film and that some stick to film and that digital photographer are by nature guilty of profligacy, wasteful in the number of photos they take. Alas,
there may be some truth to that, but the feedback it gives photographers is invaluable I think as a result there are more good photographers that ever,
not all professional, but nevertheless capable of coming up with interesting and compelling images.
Re flash, couldnt agree more. Love natural light, but well used flash can bring about great results, can correct skin tones to a large extent, soften
shadows the art of mixing natural and flash, balance with shutter speed, ISO and aperture balance, well worth the effort. Also, while I dont do wedding
photography any more, I will be attending a wedding and often tell those taking photos to make sure there flash is working on their mostly compact
cameras when taking people photos. They do it, take a photo and see what it does, a good way to spread a simple but good idea and good will.
Love the Afghan Girl those eyes are haunting. Who cares about composition and background, I have taken photos that I was not even aware were
great until I uploaded and looked at them and then they hit me between the eyes. Those moments are rare and precious. No effort, no gain, just keeptrying.
Reply
96) Mike Banks
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 9:00 AM
Nasim,
8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
39/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 39
Another great article by you. Thanks. I often have arguments with photographers about many of these points. Im not particularly an ART photographer.
I make my living more in journalism. If I were to be sent out on assignment and only shoot photographs with bokeh my subjects might be too isolated to
tell the story Im trying to create.
A hundred considerations go through my head before I click the shutter button. With all the advances in modern cameras and equipment I still shoot 85%
of everything I do in full manual. Thats the way I learned photography and that is what Im comfortable with.
As for existing or available light, this paragraph reminds me of a situation at New York University while studding photography. Several of my class mates
and I were sitting on the steps leading to our classroom one day. The argument was about available light photography. (Actually, none of us could afford
a flash unit, if truth be known), when our teacher passed through our group and listened for a bit to our conversation. He then asked us a question. If we
had a portable flash, would that make it available? We all agreed it would. So, he said, thats part of your available light. I never go out of the house to
walk around shooting for myself without a flash unit. Never.
Reply
100) Daniel
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 9:29 AM
Hi Nasim,
Great article. I like to read it.
Regarding watermark, i have doubt. Some rumors say that we should not submit a watermark photograph to a photography competition. The jury would
eliminate those at first step. Is it true?
Thanks.
Reply
101) Patrick O'Connor
OCTOBER 6, 2014 AT 9:40 AM
Generally good article with one caveat: if an individual likes the result of one, or all, of these mistakes, it isnt really a mistake.
Reply
Comment Policy:Although our team at Photography Life encourages all readers to actively participate in discussions, we reserve the right to delete / modify
any content that does not comply with our Code of Conduct, or do not meet the high editorial standards of the published material.
Leave a Comment
Name *
Email *
http://photographylife.com/code-of-conduct8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
40/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 40
Comment
POST COMMENT
Please confirm that you are NOT a spammer
Notify me of follow-up comments by email.
Notify me of new posts by email.
CONNECT WITH US
CATEGORIES
Accessories(86)
Camera Reviews(40)
Cameras and Lenses(496)
Color Management and Printing(5)
Composition and Art(11)
Flash Photography and Lighting(55)
Interviews(4)
Lens Reviews(49)
Miscellaneous(104)
PC / Mac / Tablet Hardware(6)
Photography Business(16)
Photography News(97)
Photography Techniques(108)
Photography Tutorials(72)
Post Processing(100)
Tours and Travel(121)
Videography(5)
SEARCH
Google Search...
LOGIN
Username
Password
Remember Me
Tasfin Atiqand 230,335 others like
this.Like
http://www.facebook.com/photographylifebloghttp://photographylife.com/category/cameras-lenseshttp://photographylife.com/category/accessorieshttp://photographylife.com/category/videographyhttp://photographylife.com/category/pc-mac-tablet-hardwarehttp://photographylife.com/feedhttp://photographylife.com/category/interviewshttp://photographylife.com/category/photography-tutorialshttp://photographylife.com/category/tours-travelhttp://photographylife.com/category/post-processinghttp://photographylife.com/category/camera-reviewshttp://photographylife.com/category/composition-and-arthttp://google.com/+Photographylifehttp://photographylife.com/category/photography-businesshttp://photographylife.com/category/miscellaneoushttp://photographylife.com/category/photography-techniqueshttp://photographylife.com/category/lens-reviewshttp://photographylife.com/category/photography-newshttp://photographylife.com/category/color-management-and-printinghttp://photographylife.com/category/flash-photography-lightinghttp://twitter.com/KillerPhotoTips8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
41/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
http://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoid 4
LOGIN
Register
Lost Password
POPULAR ARTICLES
Top Photography Sins and
Mistakes to Avoid
Nikon D750 for Wildlife andLandscape Photography
Nikon D810
Review
Understanding ISO A
Beginners Guide
Photography Tips for
Beginners
Understanding Aperture
A Beginners Guide
SUBSCRIBE VIA EMAIL
Enter your email address to subscribe to
this blog and receive notifications of new
posts by email.
Join 8,436 other subscribers
Email Address
SUBSCRIBE
http://photographylife.com/reviews/nikon-d810http://photographylife.com/support-ushttp://photographylife.com/what-is-iso-in-photographyhttps://photographylife.com/my-account/lost-password/http://photographylife.com/wp-login.php?action=registerhttp://photographylife.com/what-is-aperture-in-photographyhttp://photographylife.com/shophttp://photographylife.com/top-photography-sins-and-mistakes-to-avoidhttp://photographylife.com/photography-tips-for-beginnershttp://photographylife.com/nikon-d750-for-wildlife-and-landscape-photography8/11/2019 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
42/42
10/6/2014 Top Photography Sins and Mistakes to Avoid
Current Promotions
Copyright 2014 Photography Life
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/?BI=5562&KW=&KBID=6400http://www.adorama.com/?kbid=65109http://photographylife.com/current-deals