Common newbie errors

Shane

Shane

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Shane
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What are the most common newbie errors when taking a pic?

I've read alot of "what to do's" but may also learn from knowing the "what not to do's".

Any tips?
 
Rushing to get the shot, then forgetting everything you have learnt. Not that I ever did that
l9iblush.gif
 
/me searches for the shot of the women taking a picture backwards.
 
Generally I'd say make sure the subject is properly in focus. Don't 'cut off' people's heads, and make sure horizons are level if that's the way you intend to shoot them. Also, if using flash, do it carefully. Try and avoid the common problems like red-eye, harsh shadows, reflections in windows and blown-out foregrounds.
 
For me it's always the same 'error' I see at club level

Buy the gear, any gear, cos it's all brill these days - but no-one buys a basic 'How to take photos' book anymore and hence wastes hours and great opportunities that knowing what apertures (shutter speeds, ISO, composition, etc.) are and do, would have saved

I often use the analogy of - who buys a car before learning to drive?

You can do it the 'wrong' way round with photography, but it's a lot easier if you buy a book early on

There, 2p spent :lol:
 
Forgetting to put in a memory card / leaving them at home. Forgetting to charge up your batteries the day before a shoot :bonk:
 
Borrowing a slightly dodgy lens which will only shoot at 5.6 forget to set it 5.6 and track a Kingfisher in to about 30 feet away. Press the shutter and get Error99. By the time I had set it to 5.6 there was only a branch to be seen.
 
These are good, please keep them coming.

I have one, forgetting to turn the camera on! :nuts: not that I've done that of course! :|
 
Buying a DSLR and using it as a point and shoot, because it looks a bit complicated. ....
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(I do wonder how many people never turn the dial off the little green square)

Expecting the popup flash to work wonders. "eee its a bit dark, and I thought the flash had gone off"....
Without thinking that little Johnny was at the other end of garden and the cam was set to ISO100.

Shooting into the light.
 
Setting your camera to timer and wondering why the camera takes a age to take a pic.
Had me stumped for an hour:cuckoo:
(Had to read my manual grrr):D
 
Staggerlee said:
Setting your camera to timer and wondering why the camera takes a age to take a pic.
Had me stumped for an hour:cuckoo:
(Had to read my manual grrr):D
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:lol: I did this on the first day I had my 350D too.

Setting the ISO high for night shots and then wondering why the following day in bright sunshine the shutter speed maxes out and everything is still too bright :)
 
Errors?
- Thinking the camera can do it all for you. Even though the algorithms for various modes are semi-empirical, they can't read anyone's mind yet.
- Taking a shot without thinking about it when you have the time (behold, the famous 5 second rule ;)).
- Hesitating to take a shot or not taking a photo when you clearly could have and no one would mind if you made it.
- Not checking out the histogram after you've made the shot.
- if you use a manual or a semi-manual mode, forgetting to change your settings to your usual 'standard situation settings'
 
Slapo said:
semi-manual mode,
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??? I was with you up to that point... what's a semi-manual mode?:thinking::thinking::thinking:

An Auto-gearbox with paddleshift I can follow, but on a camera? Or do you mean Aperture/Shutter Priority?

Yep, bet you do, soz, just talked myself round to that :lol:
 
mattyh said:
not turning auto bracketing off, then wondering what the hell is going on with the shots. :bonk:
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Staggerlee said:
Setting your camera to timer and wondering why the camera takes a age to take a pic.
Had me stumped for an hour:cuckoo:
(Had to read my manual grrr):D
Click to expand...

hehe - done both of them before :( - the timer one is always confusing the first few times :|
 
Is this a check list of how I take my pictures :lol::lol::lol::lol:
 
mattyh said:
not turning auto bracketing off, then wondering what the hell is going on with the shots. :bonk:
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Done that!! :bonk:


Running out of card space because you are merrily shooting in away in RAW, when you thought you had changed to jpg.


Throwing a major panic and wandering how much the repair bill will be because it isnt focusing at all clearly when you look through the viewfinder even though the lens is moving and its beeping its consent at you ..... dioptre got moved! :bonk:
 
Paying no attention to backgrounds.

That has to be the number one newby error, and the one that yields the biggest improvement, once it is acknowledged!

Cheers,
James
 
DiddyDave said:
Hmmm - a lot of these come down to paying attention & and a mix of not knowing what on earth is going on - so not buying a book is still the greatest newbie fault IMO
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I agree with this got a pip guide for my 400D helped me so much and still learning.
Got a stack of books from the library:)
 
I have a D70s:

1) Accidentally switching camera to Manual Mode and it has some odd shutter speed set so i have to stand there for about a minute while it takes the picture.
2) Putting the ISO up and then forgetting and going outside where it doesn't need to be so high.

Probably some others I can't remember right now but those two immediately spring to mind.
 
Went on a shoot set off at 4am to get the light , missed the light by 15 min's shot 100 images only to find id left it on 1600 iso from the previous day, got carried away and forgot everything with being p----d off . ended up with 2 shots worth looking at but a nice day out
 
DiddyDave said:
Hmmm - a lot of these come down to paying attention & and a mix of not knowing what on earth is going on - so not buying a book is still the greatest newbie fault IMO
Click to expand...

I've never bought any "how to" photography books, not one. I have however got a few Portraiture books by the likes of David Bailey, Mario Testino and have read lots of the net, photo.net being my old hunting ground. And not afraid to ask, and most importantly, LEARN from looking at a good photo.
 
Trying to get through life without making newbie mistakes. :)
 
Seeing as I am a complete newbie to my D40, can you nice people please recommend some good books for beginners that I can get stuck into on my journey to/from work.
 
Not reading the instructions was my newbie error and on a D200 thats not a good one to make. I kept knocking switchs putting it into my bag and wondering why it sat there with the shutter open for 2 seconds or other wierd faults! (in fact any errors I make are newbie errors because i'm still very much a newbie!)

Very good thread this, maybe it needs to be a sticky!
 
DiddyDave said:
Hmmm - a lot of these come down to paying attention & and a mix of not knowing what on earth is going on - so not buying a book is still the greatest newbie fault IMO
Click to expand...

Agreed, I have a John Hedgecoe book that has been really helpful, it's old so doesn't talk about digital but has the basics of photography, compostition, light, apperture/ shutter speed etc as well as project ideas with hints and tips. Great book.

Can you recommend a good book with Digital cameras in mind? I got a Tom ang book and was less than impressed! Have also ordered the PIP guide to 350D which is over due (come on royal mail!!)
 
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