Travel Photo Thursday
Usually, those of us who participate in Budget Traveler’s Sandbox weekly photo show, called Travel Photo Thursday, try to show off our very best. Today because it is How To week here at A Traveler’s Library, I’m going to show you some of my mistakes. How NOT To. Don’t worry–it wasn’t hard to find enough to fill a column. And I probably stopped sooner than I should have because it got rather depressing.
All of these pictures are taken with a semi-automatic, point and shoot camera. But even the simplest do have some settings. Learn about them. Use them. I hope I’ve learned a little, and maybe you’ll see some cautions for your own photography. Just be assured that none of THESE are going into that beautiful photo book I’m inspired to make by yesterday’s book review.
DO NOT…
…forget that there should be a FOCUS for the picture rather than random stuff.
…ignore visual static like telephone lines and dusty air. (Also, this was taken out a car window while the car was moving. Nice try, but doesn’t work.)
…fail to focus your camera on the important spot in the camera so the light meter will help bring out the dark parts, if they are important.
..forget to adjust for the color difference when shooting in a low-light situation, like a museum that does not allow flash.
…take only one shot when the subject is something you know that you are going to want to use. Second mistake here, of course, was not adjusting for indoor light conditions after having been outside.
…forget to put the subjects in the light.
…forget to tell a story. This photo might have focused on the interesting architectural details, or could have zeroed in on the people at the fountain.
I challenge you to show your own out takes and tell us what you learned from them. Come on, every photo can’t be a winner!
This a great post.
One thing I’ve realized is a lot of people are using their phone cameras to take pics now. Some of them are great, but most of them do not have good options for lighting…
Keep up the good work.
Thanks
Oh I love this one! Sadly, I have so many out-takes I could probably do a whole blog of them. You’ve given me an idea for a future post though and brought a smile to my face as well.
I’ve made all those mistakes, and often don’t figure it out until it’s too late for a second opportunity. Photoshop has saved me from some of them, and I learn from the rest.
Yeah, Allison, I use the more elementary Picasa for editing, but it does correct a lot of things. But its those situations where you only have one chance to get it right and you mess up by not taking time to check settings or get yourself set firmly before shooting that are the heartbreakers.
Love this! I certainly have boxes of negatives that never got printed and more than my fair share of gigabytes sitting around in a virtual trash can. Every shot definitely can not be a winner. I might just take you up on your challenge and do my own post one of these days.
What a clever way to offer photo tips!
Excellent tips, Vera. You hit on a few of my weak points. I’ve got so many examples of “how not to..”!
I think digital cameras and large memory cards have bought on more bad photos than ever. In general, I think people snap quicker and with less thought than they used to, on the principle that if I “take lots” then some will turn out OK. And that is even with modern cameras correcting a lot more of these mistakes for you with their automatic tricks.
I think if I could rewrite this article, I’d say that the most important thing is to engage your brain before engaging your shutter. Digital or not, the photographer’s thought-process is more important than the technology in capturing a good picture. Yes there are random happy accidents–but we all know that saying about “prior planning”. Think before you snap!
I’m very guilty too! Some of the things you mentioned, I don’t even know how to do. But don’t tell anyone 😉
I definitely have my share of “bad” photos and some I keep just so I have some kind of memory of the location because I think the ultimate bad photo is when I forgot to take ANY photo. How many times have I gotten home and tried to explain a unique place, gone to get my camera and realized I didn’t take a single shot. Or I didn’t take enough shots to truly capture what I was looking for in the shot. Even after hundreds of shots on my recent French barge trip, I missed some key shots. Sigh.
Guilty as charged: some of these look like you borrowed from me!
Great tips, Vera. Thanks for sharing.
Great tips! Basic things to remember but certainly forgotten by many when taking travel photos.
Vera… cannot disagree…not your best shots. Look on the bright side, at least you took a shot:) I have more than enough bad shots to fill a book or even two!