6 Mistakes Beginner Photographers Make (And How To Fix Them)

Amateur Photographer Mistakes

Photography is a popular hobby for many people, but it can be difficult to get started. There are a lot of different techniques and concepts to learn, and it can be easy to make mistakes. In this article, we’ll go over some of the most common beginner photographer mistakes, and how to fix them. With these tips, you’ll be able to take better photos in no time!

Here are some of the mistakes that I’ve made and I also got some photography advice from the photography classes or YouTube tutorials. Whenever I’m out on the field to shoot portraits or street photography, these are the things that came to my mind first thing. Always learn from the mistake that you make and you will improve eventually. Photography is a subjective art of work, so what may look good to one person may not look as good to another.

Table of Contents - Beginner Photographer Mistakes

Some of the newbie photographers’ mistakes are taking too many photos. Beginner photographers tend to overshoot and capture everything instead of just selecting the best photo. By limiting yourself to a few shots, you’ll be able to get a better sense of what’s important and what’s not. Not only increases hard disk space but also limit you from learning to focus and take a few best shots instead. If you want to shoot more, get your subject poses with different styles if you’re shooting portraits.

Let’s start with the first part of the 5 mistakes newbie photographers make and also how to learn and fix them. Everyone makes mistakes, so the first step is acknowledging that you’re human and you will make mistakes from time to time and learn from the mistake you made and improve yourself.

Photography is the freedom of expression so don’t copy other people’s ideas

Photography is about learning and expanding your ideas. It’s not about copying other people’s ideas or styles. When you start, it’s essential to experiment with different techniques and try out various shots. However, be sure to keep your style and ideas in mind. Don’t forget to be creative! You can get photography inspiration from photography blog out there but don’t ever copy their ideas.

Mistake #1 – Shooting from the wrong angle

Wrong Angle - Beginner Photographer Mistakes

You should always take the time to get to know your subject. When you shoot from the wrong angle, you’re not going to be able to capture the full potential of your subject. Always try to get close to your subject and shoot from a flattering angle. This way, you’ll be able to capture the best details in your photo such as the catchlight in the eyes, emotion and so on.

How to fix it: Get to know your subject better. When you shoot from the wrong angle, you won’t be able to capture the full potential of your subject. Always try to get close to your subject and shoot from a flattering angle.

Mistake #2 - Composition is wrong

Wrong Composition - Beginner Photography Mistakes

Composition is one of the most important factors when it comes to photography. You need to be aware of where your subject is about the background and the surrounding elements. If your composition is wrong, your photo will likely not look as good. When your composition is wrong, you might not be able to deliver the point of interest in your photo.

How to fix it: Check your composition. Composition is one of the most important factors when it comes to photography. You need to be aware of where your subject is about the background and the surrounding elements. Read more about the composition rules for beginner photographers and learn how to get a good composition for portraits and street photography.

Mistake #3 - Cropped limps, legs, and hands

Cropped Body Parts - Photography Mistakes
Fujifilm X-T30. Fujinon XC 15-45mm
Portrait Framing Guide - Photography Mistakes
Fujifilm X-T30. Fujinon XC 15-45mm

When you’re taking a photo, it’s important to keep your subject in the centre of the frame. This way, the viewer will be able to focus on the main part of the photo. If your subject is cropped out or has limp or chopped legs or hands, it’s going to make the photo look less professional. This is one of the most common mistakes that beginner photographers make.

How to fix it: Try and learn to compose & frame your subject and leave some head space/leg space in between your subject. Keep your subject in the centre of the frame. When you’re taking a photo, it’s important to keep your subject in the centre of the frame. This way, the viewer will be able to focus on the main part of the photo. You can check out the proper way to crop photos, without chopping off any of the subject’s body parts.

Mistake #4 - Noisy/busy backgrounds

Busy Backgrounds - Photography Mistakes

When you’re taking a photo, it’s important to choose a clean background. This will help your photo look more professional. If your background is noisy or busy, it’s going to interfere with the viewer’s ability to focus on your photo. Make sure there’s nothing in the background that makes your photo looks weird, e.g something sticking out from the background around the head, or a horizontal line on the neck, etc. If you have slightly busy locations, you can shoot closer to your subject and get the background blurred.

How to fix it: Choose a clean and simple background. When you’re taking a photo, it’s important to choose a clean background. Choosing the right backgrounds will help your photo look more professional. If your background is noisy or busy, it will interfere with the viewer’s ability to focus on your photo.

Mistake #5: Focusing Incorrectly

Incorrect Focusing - Photography Mistakes

One of the most common mistakes beginner photographers make is focusing incorrectly. By focusing incorrectly, they’re not able to capture the entire subject. By focusing on the eyes, for example, they’re only capturing part of the subject. Instead, focus on the centre of the subject and let the background blur. This will help you get a better sense of the overall photo. Out-of-focus can be subjective and also it can be used from artistic point of view.

How to fix it: When taking a photo, always focus on the centre of the subject. This will help you get a better sense of the overall picture. When shooting portraits, use the eye detection feature. You can always quickly move the focusing point whenever you want your subject to be in focus.

Mistake #6: Shooting From the Behind Too Often

Wrong Angle - Photography Mistakes

Shooting from the back is a common mistake that amateur photographers make. This is because it’s hard to see what’s happening in the background of the photo. When you’re shooting from the back, it’s important to use a wider lens and get closer to your subject. This way, you’ll be able to capture more of the background. You can shoot from behind if you are doing some creative shots or have something to tell about the subject’s point of view which is frequently used in films and cinematic shots.

How to fix it: When you’re taking a photo, always try to shoot from the front. This way, you’ll be able to see what’s happening in the background of the image.

Final Thoughts

Whenever you take a photo, it’s important to have a positive attitude. If you start to be too critical of your work, it will be difficult to improve. Instead, try to be objective and take a step back every once in a while. When you do this, you’ll be able to see your photos in a new light and you will be able to make improvements.

If you’re just getting into photography, don’t worry – we all make mistakes! In this blog post, we have gone over some of the most common mistakes by amateur and beginner photographers, and how to fix them. With these tips, you’ll learn from these mistakes and will start improving yourself by shooting more frequently. It is alright to make mistakes. As long as you’re learning and improving, that’s all that matters. Thanks for reading!

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