I Stopped Shooting Like This
Shoot everything wide open
I remember when I got my first fast prime lens. It was the Canon 50mm f1.8 and I clearly recall supergluing the aperture dial to f1.8 and never moving from that number. My attitude back then was that if I paid for f1.8, I will use f1.8. Also back then I thought that a core component of a good photo is an out of focus background. Today it’s slightly different because I understand that in many cases shooting wide open doesn’t make sense. These days I usually shoot between f2 and f8 depending on the light, the subject and my vision for the image. Quite often having something too out of focus can actually make the photo worse.
Shoot only manual
When I started to take my photography a little more seriously, I remember watching some YouTube videos that pushed the narrative that real pro photographers only shoot manual. They made it out like manual photography is the pinnacle of mastering this craft. Of course I proceeded to only shoot in manual and that’s how I photographed for a good year or more. Although there are many merits of manual photography and I highly recommend everyone to at least have a grasp of manual exposure, I also understand that it has nothing to do with actually becoming a better photographer. Being able to dial in the exact settings and recite the optimum exposure values for the current scene will not make you better at composition, finding good light or telling a story. However once you do understand those aspects, being able to manually set your camera is advantageous. Think of it like this… being able to drive a manual car will not make you a better driver, it will not make you understand how a car behaves on the limit or what to do if the back steps out. However once you are aware of the basics, being able to control what gear you select will give you a more involved experience and help you get the most out of the car in some scenarios.
Heavily under expose my photos to protect highlights
I no longer heavily underexpose my photos to protect all highlights and avoid bright areas getting blown out. The sun is generally bright and if it’s a touch blown out, that’s fine. These days I typically shoot at normal exposure plus or minus 0.3 to 0.6. The only time I underexpose a little is at night. During the day I find that underexposing actually results in a muddy image especially if you need to considerably boost exposure in editing. Finally I prefer to have my images exposed to the right meaning they are as bright as they can possibly be. I find this gives the cleanest and most pleasant result.
Shoot everything with the same perspective
When I started I shot everything from either chest or eye level without thinking if that was the best option. I didn’t experiment with other viewpoints and as a result all my photos were very similar. Don’t get me wrong, many of my photos from today are still either eye or chest level, however at the time of taking them, that was in my opinion the best angle. Quite often I will change the perspective, shoot through something or even find a reflection to add another dimension to the shot. This ensures some variety and constant improvement in my skill.
Carry a ton of lenses / accessories
I remember buying my first camera bag and loading it to the brim with gear. Camera, 5 lenses, tripod, iPad and a ton of other accessories. The bag was huge and it must have weighed 12kg at least. As you can imagine it wasn’t the most pleasant experience and my photography suffered as a result. These days I will either bring just one body and one prime if I’m going for a chill walk or 3 primes (wide, medium, tight) if I’m travelling. Failing that, one general zoom lens to cover everything is also an option. At no point do I go out to shoot with more than 3 lenses. Less is more and to this day many of my best photos were taken on days where I had the least kit.
Have expectations
I used to head out with huge expectations of catching the perfect moment or best light. I’d get up early and spend the whole day waiting for the perfect shot that never materialised and I’ve lost count how many times I would go back frustrated. This heavily applies to travel photography. We see places online and dream of shooting there. We travel in excitement only to be dissapointed when we arrive. We see the best weather prediction, only to find that it has not materialised. Photography is unpredictable which is why it’s so fun. Now I’m open minded and instead enjoy the day out. If a photo materialises, it’s icing on the cake.
Plan shots / locations
I used to meticulously plan shots. I’d spend ages on photo pills trying to find the perfect spot with the best light. I’d research it to death and create a step by step plan. Was this effective? Sure. Was it fun? Absolutely not. This sucked all the fun out of photography and today I don’t really do this. I love just turning up and going for a walk with my camera. It might not be efficient, but it’s a lot more fun. Of course if there is a client shoot or I have a very specific photo I want to take, then planning is important. However if it’s just for me, I’d rather get lost and see what surprises me.
Follow trends on socials
This isn’t something I did too much but I do remember a couple times getting sucked into it. Many years ago there was this trend of taking a photo at night in Central London of a famous landmark with light trails from cars passing by. Then colour grading it blue and watching the likes flood in. Thankfully I grew out of this very quickly but many didn’t and they built their entire online presence off the back of a temporary trend. Once the trend passed, so did any interest in their work and the accounts went dormant. By all means follow trends, we all do to a degree, just don’t forget to develop your own voice too.
Compare myself to other photographers
While on the subject of social media, don’t compare yourself to other photographers. This is an obvious one but when I started there was a lot of comparisons to others further ahead. By all means study other photographers and try to learn from them, but don’t directly compare where you are and where there are. First of all you have no idea what they are dealing with and in many cases what you see online is polished and highly curated. Secondly by always looking at what others are doing, you don’t have any attention left for yourself. Finally remember that the internet is smoke and mirrors. There are a number of photographers I looked up to and thought they were super successful until I met them and was shocked to find the total opposite.
Tell others what I want to do
The final thing I no longer do today is tell others what I want to do. This also applies to my personal life and not just photography. Whether it’s a book I’m working on, an ambitious project or something more trivial. Over the years I’ve learnt that the more people you tell about your plans, goals and dreams, the less likely they will materialise. Not only that but the more people you share your plans with, the more potential resentment you might build. Finally god forbid you share your plans with someone insecure, cynical, negative or simply stupid and they will do all they can to discourage you. Work in silence.
