5 REASONS YOUR PHOTOS ARENT GOOD ENOUGH
What makes a bad photo?
Usually, it goes something like this: You see something that inspires you, you take the photo, and you’re completely underwhelmed because what you had in your mind’s eye is not what you imagined.
From the practical to the philosophical, here are eight possible reasons you may be taking bad photos. Plus, some advice on how to make them better.
You Don’t Know Your Camera
I don’t mind admitting that I’ve not big on reading manuals. There is some merit in that but there are lots of ways to gain that Information besides a manual such as YouTube and purposeful experimenting but I do all this before I leave the house with it so that I know my camera well enough that I can change settings quickly if needed.
Of course, you can take good photos shooting on automatic, but your creative options are limited because the camera is making all the choices.
Taking control of your camera means manual mode and manual mode means understanding the relationship between shutter speed, ISO, and aperture and how they affect each other.
The more you know, the more you can use that knowledge to create the photos you want.
You’re Rushing
Sometimes you have little or no time to get the shot. Like with wildlife or street photography. Most times though you have more time than you think so making a conscious effort to slow down can really help. Take a few seconds to think about the story you want to tell. Make adjustments to your composition, settings, or angle so your final shot is closer to what you want it to be.
You’re Shooting Into the Light
Light can make or break an image, we all know that, but unlike your eyes, your camera cannot expose for the light and the subject at the same time. You have to choose what you want the camera to see. And this is most important when shooting into the sun.
There are times when this can look amazing but it requires careful exposure control to avoid your subject becoming a silhouette. I will often shoot the same scene more than once and expose for the subject in one frame and the background light in another so I can edit them together in Lightroom. A tripod is very helpful for this so your frame doesn’t change between shots. Other times a flash or artificial light source is needed to bring your subject back out of the shadows.
You’re Not Experimenting
No matter your skill level, experimenting is always worth doing. It will take your technical as well as your creative skills to a new level.
I’ve listed a few ideas to get you started.
Shoot something else: If you love portraits, shoot landscapes and vice versa. Whatever takes you outside your comfort zone
Give yourself an assignment: Tell a story with pictures about a person, place or thing you love.
Try emulating a photographer’s work you admire: You may find glimpses of your own style hidden in the process.
You’re Not Holding Your Camera Steady
If you find that your images are consistently not that sharp it’s either you or the camera. And since cameras are pretty clever now with image stabilisation and ai correction, there’s a good chance you’re not holding the camera steady.
Whether you’re using a smartphone or a proper camera, keeping your arms close to your body and elbows pointing down will help a lot.
For a camera with interchangeable lenses don’t grip your camera on either side like a steering wheel. Use your free hand as a support either under the camera body or the lens if it’s a large lens, to steady it.
