Photography Mistakes

 

Mistakes are killing me. I know how my camera works. I know the settings required to make a good photo, yet I continue to make mistakes. Here are a few things to keep in mind when going on a photo shoot.

 

1) Camera Setup/Pretrip Setup

 

    a) Check ISO setting. Change ISO to lowest setting

    b) Check metering mode. Change to evaluative

    c) Check focusing mode

    d) Clean the lenses and eyepiece

    e) Fresh battery and recently charged spare

    f) Formatted memory card installed and spare

    g) Pack tripod

 

2) In the field

 

    a) Return ISO to lowest setting - after taking a series of photos at a higher ISO, return the camera to the lowest ISO setting.

    b) Return metering mode to evaluative - if you switch to another metering mode like spot metering, besure to return to the evaluative mode.

    c) Tripod for landscapes, macros - with the small apertures required for landscapes, it's near impossible to get sharp photo without tripod.

        With the magnification needed for macros, a tripod is also required.

    d) Review histograms  - I recently had a nice landscape with the exception of a small amount of blown highlights. There is  nothing to recover in blown highlights, so you get a white blob. If you try to darken, you will get ugly gray. 

 

If you do make mistakes, don't be too hard on yourself. There will be another opportunity for success.