I often try to create education material where the information I provide should be something to be learned. This time around, we are going to flip the story and look at several things that we should unlearn. This is of course because we should never limit our creativity as artists. Set-in-stone mentalities are generally not the best approach to photography, or most other things for that matter.
James Popsys brings us a brilliant video (as always). His 5 points are as follows:
- Shoot in mid-day conditions. I fully agree with James that we cannot wait for perfect lighting. Stories and life happen at all hours of the day, not just at golden hour or when the clouds happen to sit just right. As James said, it is also brilliant practice. The more you shoot the better you become.
- Chimping. The colloquial habit photographers have of checking the back of their cameras after each shot. While we want to make sure our shots are properly exposed and in focus, staring at the back of your camera too frequently can often lead to missed opportunities. Its a good practice but too much of a good thing can lead to missed shots that are better than the ones you are checking.
- Avoid striving for technical perfection every time. You don’t always have time to set your shot and settings perfectly. Things happen quick and missing the shot entirely while you are fumbling with the camera is not ideal. Hardware these days is exceptional and can often cover some of your mistakes. Just take the shot!
- Shoot wider. Similar to the above point, shooting wider will give you a bit more room for perfecting your composition by cropping after the fact. It is not ideal, but again, you do not always have the time to set up your shot.
- Step outside your niche. Stepping outside your comfort zone can often improve your awareness and knowledge of the craft. For instance, although I am a landscape photographer I also go out and shoot street. This practice helps me frame my shots quicker, recognize more interesting light and generally be more aware of my surroundings. Again, never limit yourself!
Once again, James bring us another fantastic video guide on photography. Please make sure to check out the rest of his channel as he has a wealth of information on all things landscape photography. His website is also worth a quick visit for additional information but also to check out his store. I love some of his more minimalist images and would happily hang them on my wall.