If you are on this site, you are probably a photographer or want to be a photographer. In either case, if you are new to this wonderful craft, there are some bad habits that can really hold you back and they are worth noting. Here are five I think you should be wary of, but make sure to add your own in the comments.
There are a lot of bad habits in any profession, and photography is no exception. That said, not all bad habits are created equal and you may find yourself with some insignificant, but some can be quite harmful and affect you in the long run. The sooner you realize that you’re dealing with ways that aren’t in your favor, the sooner you can correct them. So here are five common bad habits. Of course, this is by no means an exhaustive list, so make sure you leave in the comments some comments you’ve found in your work or seen in others.
Shot on auto
I have nothing against shooting in automatic mode, especially given how smart cameras have become. It’s not always a bad habit, and it’s not always bad, but it depends on the shooter’s aspirations with their camera and what they’re trying to achieve in current photography. at theirs.
One of the most important areas of photography is the three factors: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Of course, there are countless other influencing factors, but understanding and using these three settings is crucial if you want to improve as a photographer and be able to shoot in difficult conditions. Auto mode is powerful – probably very powerful – but it can’t do everything you want to do, so make sure you use it as little as possible.
No file management system
Of course, I won’t name names, but I had a photography student a few years ago who more or less mentioned this part alone. He is particularly interested in wildlife photography, enjoys photographing birds and is always dedicated to becoming better. He is the exact type of person you want to tutor, even though he just bought his first camera, he desperately needs knowledge and experience. In fact, he shoots more than most, spending days in local nature reserves practicing.
There’s a point where I’d like to discuss another aspect of photography: post-processing, online portfolios, file management systems, etc. Well, as I’m sure you can infer from the title, when I look at his computer, I see a modern horror story. All his pictures are in random, poorly named folders, located on his desktop, burned to disk (yes, those shiny circles we usually use ), there is no order at all. This is unsolvable! Create an image gallery and navigate to it; you will reap the benefits.
No backups
It should come as no surprise that this sequel follows the last. While that photographer really needs to tackle both bad habits, this is more preventable. However, too many photographers don’t have cloud-based backups and hard storage for their images, and that leads to disaster. If this is you and you feel like you can’t be bothered trying to back everything up all the time, I’m not trying to scare you. I will only explain one element.
A few years ago, I signed up for Backblaze and installed it on my PC. I set up all the drives that I want to back up and let the software run 24/7, 365. I never think about any of my files unless I need to restore some files. I just know that I can. It’s a monthly subscription that’s a waste of money until it’s unused, it’s the best money I’ve ever spent.
Editing in post
There’s nothing wrong with fixing parts of an image in post-production, but I believe there’s a point in every photographer’s life where it’s easier to make corrections in post than to retouch. it into position. This is a terrible habit you get into for so many reasons. Firstly, it is almost always the case that if you can fix it in camera, it is better to fix it in the end result quality post. Second, not learning how to fix what you need when shooting means you won’t learn and grow as a photographer at the speed you should. Third, time budgeting becomes a lot harder when your post-production to-do list is growing exponentially.
Zoom In Instead of Scrolling
This is a common problem with beginners and I believe it is especially dangerous. Zoom lenses are often on the menu for newer photographers, either through kit lenses or through the purchase of a lens deemed essential. While very useful, they can get photographers into the habit of always adjusting the frame by zooming in. I prefer shooting with the lens partly because I can’t do this. Get a cheap element ( nifty-50 always do well) and practice scrolling to get a better angle (if possible) rather than simply zooming. It’s hard to unpack the value of this until the photographer has tried it and seen the benefits, but it’s well worth it.
What Are The Worst Habits You Met When You First Started?
I’m not sure what the worst bad habit is and not sure if it’s on my list, but the five habits above are certainly common and can do serious harm. What bad habits do you have that you need to correct? What is the common bad habit you’ve seen with photographers, especially newer ones? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
