photo by AaronAmat via iStock
Photography mistakes are inevitable. We are all at a different point in our photography journey and part of that journey includes making beginner photography mistakes.
Some photography mistakes aren’t even reserved just for beginners. For example, I make camera gear mistakes every other week, it seems.
But some photography mistakes can be avoided with a little bit of planning and a lot of forethought.
Snaptiles just released a plastic-framed photo tile that allows you to swap out the photo in each tile. See it here!
Allowing Dust Into Your Sensor
photo by cullenphotos via iStock
Of all the photography mistakes you can make, allowing dust into your sensor is the most painful one for me. Primarily because learning how to clean dust out of your sensor is a process, but also because this mistake is so avoidable.
When you’re out during a shoot, minimize how often you change your lens. Either change your lens at home before you leave, or find an indoor space where you can change your lens.
This is especially true of travel photographers or landscape photographers. Inclement weather means lots of dust particles are blowing around outside all the time. When you change your camera lens here, you pretty much ensure you’re going to end up with trapped dust in your sensor.
If you absolutely can’t find a safe space to change your lens out, then hold your camera upside down while you change lenses outdoors. This way you can use gravity (and a blower, which you should have in your camera bag) to clean any dust out of your sensor before it gets trapped.
And if you inevitably end up with dust in your sensor anyways, save yourself the trouble and the money of a professional clean and let Nigel Danson teach you how to do it yourself.
Learn More:
- Surefire Ways to Keep Track of Your Photography Gear
- Why This is the Best Leather Camera Bag on the Market
Not Using Good Filters
One of the worst mistakes you can make is to use bargain-basement, no-name filters for your photos.
After all, what's the point of investing in a good lens (which you should definitely do...) and then putting a junk filter in front of it?
Good filter systems can be spendy, but they're certainly worth it, just like your upgraded lens.
The PolarPro Summit series is a particular favorite of mine because it shows a dedication to innovation and build quality that many lesser filter systems lack.
To begin, the Summit landscape filter kit has everything you need to get started:
- Filter holder
- Circular polarizer
- An ND64 solid ND filter
- An ND4 soft-edge grad filter
- Lens hood
- Thread plates
- Carry case
Additionally, you'll find that the included filters are super high quality.
For example, the circular polarizer is made of fused Quartz glass with 16 layers of coatings that reduce glare while improving clarity and color.
Likewise, the ND filters have the same Quartz construction and coatings, but also have aluminum frames that help protect the filter while minimizing fingerprints too.
These filters have been field tested by some of the top landscape photographers in the world, and the consensus is that they are rock-solid, easy to use, and help you produce much-improved images.
What's not to like about that?!
Not Displaying Your Photos
If you take the time and effort to go out and shoot photos, you need to display your favorite ones, right?
Yet many beginner photographers that I speak with tell me that they often don't print out their photos. That's a shame, because having your photos on the wall to enjoy is a critical part of photography!
Now, I'm not saying that you need to have a gigantic, expensive print made of every photo you love. That would be cost prohibitive (and who has that much wall space?!).
Instead, do something fun and unique like using photo tiles to display multiple images.
I particularly like Snaptiles photo tiles because they're so easy to install.
Literally, all you do is adhere an anchor tile to the wall using four adhesive strips, and then you can add up to 12 photo tiles to the display without any other anchors or holes in the wall.
That's because Snaptiles connect to one another using rare earth magnets. So not only does this spare your walls, but it also makes arranging the photo tiles extremely easy!
You can create displays in just about any shape you want, so you can let your imagination run wild. And when you're tired of the current arrangement, just unsnap the tiles, make a new arrangement of images, and enjoy!
If you want to create a display of up to 30 Snaptiles photo tiles, all you need are the four included thumbtacks to add additional support. The tiny pinholes in the wall are a small price to pay for having the ability to enjoy that many of your favorite shots.
Besides, Snaptiles are super affordable, so you can rock out your photo display without your wallet screaming at you.
See how Snaptiles photo tiles work and order yours today right here.
Buying a Cheap Camera Bag
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
There are plenty of silly photography mistakes out there, but using a bad, cheap camera bag is one of the deadliest photography mistakes.
Poor quality camera bags will eventually ruin your equipment, either because they aren’t waterproof, or the lining isn’t thick enough so you could end up scratching your lenses or camera bodies.
They also get beat up quite quickly and will make you look less professional than if you had purchased a quality camera bag in the first place.
Instead of purchasing a bag you’ll need to replace in a few months, consider purchasing HoldFast’s Explorer Streetwise Bag.
This bag is built for street photographers because you can’t initially peg it as a camera bag, it just looks like a nice bag.
It’s small enough to keep your camera gear out of the way while you aren’t using it, but comfortable enough to grab it within a moment’s notice.
Plus, you can keep your camera on the shoulder strap, which features a camera slider, while simultaneously keeping the bag easily accessible so you can grab accessories as needed.
It’s the perfect day bag, and while the initial investment is more, this camera bag features a lifetime warranty. You buy it once and never again need to worry about whether or not your camera gear is being protected.
It’s also padded with a sheepskin interior, so you know your mirrorless camera, three lenses, and flash (the bag’s capacity) all remain in place.
Find more information on it here, and release yourself from the trials and tribulations of using cheap, uncomfortable bags!
Bonus: Not Keeping a Journal
Photo by Hannah Olinger on Unsplash
Think back to the last incredible photoshoot you had. Are you able to emulate those photographs? Could you go back and do everything in the exact same way?
When you have an amazing photography day, it’s a huge photography mistake to not record exactly what you did. Take five minutes at the end of the shoot to record what settings you were using.
While it’s fine to have these notes in a traditional journal, you’ll also want to make sure you know which notes should go with which photographs.
This helps you learn your camera better, so you have less camera gear mistakes, and it helps you to continuously fulfill client needs if they love the look of one particular thing you did.
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