5 typical mistakes in photography and how to avoid them

When taking photos with the iPhone, amateur photographers always make the same mistakes. Alex Lörtscher, professional photographer from Uster and founder of the Handy Photo Club (www.handyphotoclub.ch), presents five typical mistakes you should avoid when taking photos with the iPhone.

With the mistakes in mind, the pictures will turn out much better - and the hobby photographer will almost become a professional photographer. What many people don't know: You don't always need the expensive photographic equipment that only a professional photographer can and wants to afford to take a good picture. An iPhone is often enough to take pictures that stay in the memory.

Taking a snapshot vs. taking a photo

You're probably thinking to yourself – taking a snapshot or taking a photo, that's the same thing! If you think a little longer about the two terms, you will quickly realise that one term has a negative connotation (snap), the other a positive one (photograph).

For Alex, a professional photographer, taking a snapshot means pulling the iPhone out of his pocket, opening the camera app and pressing the shutter button ten times. Without an eye for leading lines, a few settings and waiting for the right moment. All of these are typical mistakes you make when taking photos – or rather, when taking snapshots.

It's not far from taking a snapshot to taking a photo. You don't have to have studied photography or trained as a photographer to take good photos. Most of the time, a few tricks and tips that you follow are enough. This way you can take great and unique pictures on holiday, of friends or in nature.

The five most common mistakes in photography

Before you get access to over 50 photography tips from Alex, learn the five photography mistakes you should avoid at all costs. This is the first step to taking pictures that you and your loved ones will remember.

• Mistake #1: Missing motive
  
  
  
  The first and one of the most common mistakes happens all the time. A beautiful picture of a landscape is snapped (or photographed) – but something is missing from the photo.
  
  It is usually the motif. For example, mountain landscapes or lakes are photographed, but usually without a reference point (motif). In the case of a lake, this could be a fisherman, for example, or your companion positioning himself in the picture. In a mountain picture, it could be an animal or a single tree.
  
  The motif is what makes a picture exciting.
  
  
  
• Mistake #2: Poor image editing
  
  
  
  Most of the time, the full potential of image processing is not exploited. Another common mistake is to overdo the image editing and use dozens of filters and effects to detract from the beauty of the image.
  
  You may wonder why this mistake appears as a typical mistake in photography – it is actually one after the actual act of taking the picture. The answer is simple: post-processing is also part of photography.
  
  Many use the wrong apps or are not familiar with how effects work. This often ruins what should be beautiful photos.
  
  
  
• Error #3: Incorrect image composition
  
  
  
  A picture consists, among other things, of a motif and a background, as you have already learned from the first mistake. But there is more to it than that: Light and shadow as well as leading lines ensure a successful composition.
  
  Many are not aware of the effects of shapes, colours, light and shadow. As a result, classic mistakes are made that result in «bad» pictures. The effect that best describes this: «There is a lack of expression in the picture!»
  
  
  
• Mistake #4: No knowledge of camera functions and settings
  
  
  
  Are you familiar with the functions of your iPhone camera? The fourth mistake in photography is one that is always avoidable. Take a good look at the settings of your iPhone and its camera. HDR, LIVE, RAW, focus, correcting exposure – do you have it all in front of the proverbial lens to adjust settings to suit your image?
  
  There is another attitude that is important in photography: your personal attitude. If you want to take pictures that stay, you have to take pictures – and take fewer snapshots.
  
  
  
• Mistake #5: Loss of quality through sharing on social media
  Once you've taken great and impressive pictures, you want to share them and show them to friends, family and followers on social media. Quite rightly! But here lurks another mistake.
  
  Photos are often shared and the originals are lost. At the same time, the quality suffers with each sharing and sending via Facebook, Instagram, email & Co. Secure your originals so that you can access them at any time.
  
  Who knows, maybe you'll want to create a photo book or frame one of the pictures soon.

Get even more tips about photography

You now know five typical mistakes when taking photos – and you can take better photos with your iPhone next time, I promise!

Want more photography tips? Alex has put together 50 free iPhone photography tips to help you take your images to the next level. Have fun applying the tips and taking pictures!

https://www.handyphotoclub.ch/50tipps