7 Deadly Mistakes When Taking Digital Photos

The advent of the digital camera has given a lot of leeway to the avid photographer. However, there are still some common mistakes which most people make before they can say ‘say cheese’. Here are seven of the most common mistakes and tips in avoiding them in the first place.

Your object is out of your flash range

If you are taking photos at night then you will have to ensure that your objects are within the flash range. So taking long-range photographs at night is pointless since there will only be a black background behind your object. So, try to take photographs by going nearer to your object than you would during the day. You can also change the setting of your digital camera to set it on ‘night mode’. This way you might not even have to use your flash and depending on your digital camera quality, you might get still get a clear medium range shot. You can also change the camera’s ISO setting and check out the results. A higher ISO setting can result in a brighter photograph.

Your photograph has too many stories to tell

Keep your camera concentrated on only the subject you want to capture. If possible use the zoom facility in your camera. Look properly in your viewfinder and if possible click on when one or two objects are visible in it. Too many objects in one photo can cause the viewer to get distracted from the real story, which you wanted to paint for the viewer. If your object is in the front, then also concentrate that the background is in contrast to your object because if your object merges completely with the background, then the whole photograph will lose its meaning.

Either you or your objects are striking the same pose.

You could be clicking all your photos while just standing up, or you could be clicking all the objects in your photos, namely your spouse or other family members in a standing position. Use your imagination. Stand up photos should be reserved for formal occasions. Bend a little, lie down completely on the ground and climb up some stairs or on the top of your vehicle and click something different at a different angle. Check your surroundings before thinking of the best angle of your shot. Small children, pets, etc photos look good if they are taken from a lower height. Unlike a regular camera, where your roll could get wasted, in digital camera’s you get a chance to experiment. Use that chance.

Wrong angle

Always ensure that during the daytime, the sun is behind you so that no silhouettes or shadows are falling in front of your object. That could result in black spots when you check out the photo. If you are taking a photograph of the sunset, then your object which you plan to include in that shot should be very near to your camera and your flash should be on. This will ensure that your object does not come out as a silhouette in front of the setting sun. If your object is wearing a hat or cap, then ensure that his or her face looks slightly upwards or the face will only resemble a dark shadow.

Overexposed, underexposed or blurred photos

This is a result of you shaking too much while clicking your photographs. Hold steady while clicking or use a tripod or take support of a chair or wall while clicking. If you are using a SLR camera, then you need to let your camera know the main object and the background. If you are in a moving car, then increase your shutter speed to get a clearer photo. If you have an automatic focus camera then all you need to do is to change your position to avoid underexposed or overexposed photos. These are normally caused if there is any bright spotlight or any other bright light source being aimed at the viewfinder. Changing your position so that the bright light comes on your side or at the rear will solve that problem.

Haste makes a photo go waste

Plan your photo in your mind before actually clicking it. Check out different angles in your mind. Take time to check out if it looks better if you zoom in or out. On a slightly cloudy day, take two similar photos of the same object, one with the sun shining and another with the sun behind the clouds. You can decide afterwards as to which looks better. A little patience is the difference between an ordinary and an extra ordinary shot. Wait patiently for the correct mood to be created for your perfect picture. You only have to take the example of the photographers from ‘Time’ or ‘National Geographic’ magazines to realize the importance of patience in photography

You are not using your computer’s capabilities

Digital cameras have split photography into two worlds, one is when you click that photograph and the other is when you load it and edit it on your computer. Do not worry if a photo looks bad on your camera screen after clicking it. Do not erase it until you have seen the same photo on your computer screen. You can work some software magic and make it presentable enough to be seen and printed from your computer. Use the settings on your camera like image quality by choosing a high compression. This might take up more space in your camera but will give you a sharper picture. Take extra memory cards with you to solve your space problem.

These are common mistakes, which can be rectified very easily. The main thing is to take an interest in whatever you are clicking. You should have the motivation not just to press the shutter button each and every time but also to ensure that each photo communicates a story to the person viewing it. Keep using different angles, light conditions, and different poses to create individual masterpieces and not just an album filled with colored pictures. Smile, say cheese, and click.