Here Are Seven Common Mistakes Beginner Photographers Make

When you're first starting out in photography, the number of things you have to keep track of to create compelling, technically sound images can feel a bit overwhelming. This great video will show you seven common mistakes beginner photographers make and how to avoid them.

Coming to you from Saurav Sinha, this helpful video talks about some common beginner photographer mistakes and what you can do to avoid them and produce better shots with less effort. Of the list, looking back on the beginning of my photography work, the one I wish I had picked up sooner was showing more restraint in post-processing. It's very common for beginners to go a bit overboard with things like HDR effects and saturation, which can produce rather garish results. If you're new to post-processing, I recommend two things. First, take a lot of breaks. Step away from the computer, look at the image from far away, then up close again, and let it sink in for a while before you do the final export. This will help you to really digest the photo as a viewer. Second, whenever you apply an effect or edit, reduce it to about 50 percent opacity and reevaluate how much of it you really need. Often, you'll discover that less is more. 

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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