You love your photography hobby (or obsession) but are frustrated with how your shots turn out. There always seems to be something that makes your photos not quite as good as you envisioned through your lens. You want to take better photos.

The photography creativity experts understand, and we’ve hunted down some of the most common photography mistakes and compiled them here so that you fix those mistakes and hone your photography skills. 

1. Allowing your camera to make the photography decisions

You probably took up photography because you wanted and outlet to express your creativity. As awesome as automatic mode is for convenience, it really does allow your camera to take control creatively. Instead of relying on automatic mode, explore your cameras modes and take back control of your photography creativity!

Thanks for the tip, Popular Science!

2. Lighting! Lighting! Lighting!

So often spoken but so frequently overlooked – lighting. Time of day is often touted as a photography consideration. But let’s not forget angle and perspective to the sun – side light, front light, back light. It makes a huge difference in the impact on your photos.

Thanks for the tip, Sean Dalton Photography!

3. Lack of focus

If your pictures are not sharp, focus could be your issue. Make sure you are focusing on your subject and not the background. Go deeper and focus on a specific aspect of your subject – for a portrait, the eyes are really the windows to the soul of the photograph. Simply focus and take better photos.

Thanks for the tip, Fstoppers!

4. Take more shots

With inexpensive memory options and large capacity at your fingertips, make sure you take many shots – different angles, different lighting, different composition. You’ll more likely to capture the moment in your photo.

Thanks for the tip, DIY Photography!

5. Aligning movement and shutter speed

Ensure you consider your shutter speed, focal length, and movement in your photo. This will help to reduce camera shake and blur.

Thanks for the tip, Fstoppers!

6. No limits in your composition creativity

The rule of thirds? Valid. But not the law. Unleash your photography creativity by seeking out framing options like bridges or trees. Patterns and textures add to your creative composition. Use your creative eye to balance your photos.

Thanks for the tip, Canva!

7. Raise that ISO

Newer cameras allow more flexibility with higher ISO. Go high with your ISO to achieve sharper photos.

Thanks for the tip, Fstoppers!

8. Too much creativity?

While developing your photography style, most photographers experiment. Experimentation to learn and grow as a photographer is great. But it can be taken too far, and you end up with photos that are messy and jarring (not in a good way). Really examine the results of your photography experimentation and admit when it’s gone too far. This will help you take better photos.

Thanks for the tip, Popular Science!

9. Relish your mistakes and thrive

Every photographer should be constantly evolving – technological and creative improvements allow photography creativity growth. Take the time to explore your shots – old and new – to look for opportunities. With a new perspective, you can spot things you love in your photographs and things you realize you never want to do again. Internalize and interpret those feeling and unleash them as you continue your photography creativity journey. The results will be you taking better photos.

Thanks for the tip, Popular Science!

If you want more expert advice about taking better photos, contact the photography enthusiasts at Annex Photo.