Ha! I am constantly making photography mistakes! Occasionally they are camera mistakes like the focus being off or shutter speed too slow for shooting hand held. Those are the most frustrating because I feel like I should know better.
The majority of my mistakes are in composition. I feel like these are a development process, with each mistake being a learning experience.
Thank you very much for your comments Erik. If it's any consolation I make mistakes all the time, I think we all do. Sometimes it is really demoralising but they are good to learn from and they do make us better photographers in the long run. 🙂
I liked the first and second image of the boats and agree maybe there was too much going on in the first one.
I also make plenty of mistakes while out taking photos, sometimes disappointed when I get home and look at them on the screen, but as you say it's being out there early in the morning when it's quiet and maybe watching the sun come up and listening to the sounds of the birds. It's a great experience.
Thank you very much for your comments Maria, it is always good to hear what people think. I agree with you, being out in the landscape is always a great experience regardless of whether the photography is good or not. 🙂
I’ve only recently discovered your Substack site, and I’m finding it really inspiring. I make plenty of mistakes and often only recognise them much later when I have the image on a large screen. Sometimes however it seems to work the other way - I have a large number of images on my hard drive, and rarely go back to look at most of them, but occasionally I find a gem that I hadn’t thought was much good at the time. Does this happen to you? Do you discard most of the images from a shoot straight away?
Thank you very much for your comments Alistair and I am glad you are finding the posts interesting.
Yes it does happen to me. I usually process my images fairly soon after a shoot while the experience is still fresh in my mind. However sometimes I think this can work against me as I can feel that the images don't always live up to the experience. However when I go back to them a few months or even years later when my memories of the experience are diminished I tend to see them for what they are without the emotion of the experience attached. I think this is when I find images that I had initially dismissed. For this reason I never discard images from a shoot even if I don't like them on first viewing.
Good morning Gill, Your article resonated with me as I feel as though I am creatively affected adversely by domestic worries on occasions. Sometimes the location and the light quality can lift me out of this, but I recently had a holiday when the weather was depressing and dull for most of the time. We were at the coast and there was not even any wind to liven the surface of the sea. However, I would have been delighted to have taken the images shown. The last one in particular called into the light, has a calm feel perhaps helped by the almost square shape of the frame. Best wishes. Trevor Burton
Thank you very much for your comments Trevor, I am glad you enjoyed the article.
It is hard not to carry our worries with us when we go out with the camera, but I usually find they disappear once I get engrossed in my photography and looking for smaller scenes when the conditions are challenging is a great way to get the creative juices flowing.
Another wonderful read, Gill. I particularly love 'Huts and Houses' and 'Into The Light'. The triptych is also wonderful. I really like how it carries its own element of storytelling and captures the sense of place.
I used to go out with a mindset of getting just one good image, and that alone would be a success. It was a mindset that took some of the pressure off, especially early on.
There's been a lot of mistakes in my journey, though I've often found that these mistakes have, at times, led to new ideas and ways of seeing.
Thank you very much for your comments Dan and I am glad you like the images.
I think mistakes are valuable learning experiences and agree that they can often lead to new ideas. I love your experimental attitude to photography and think you have created some really interesting images.
I find putting pressure on myself to come back with a good shot often leads to failure, so it is much better to relax and enjoy the time out.
Thank you. I feel that I’ve really loosened up over the last year or so. It’s been as much about enjoying and exploring, rather than trying to have the perfect end result in my head come to fruition, and I do think it’s often as much on instinct than anything else. Just trusting that process more than anything, and I feel it’s still evolving.
I agree, it’s definitely better to just relax and enjoy the time out. Being out in the open is definitely a huge part of it for me.
Very wise words Gill and yet another good read. Mistakes can be very deflating especially if you have made an effort to ‘catch the moment’. The triptych is lovely by the way!
Thank you very much for your comments Sian, I am glad you liked the triptych.
Mistakes can be deflating but they are good to learn from and I think they also help us grow as photographers. It can be a difficult lesson though when we mess things up, particularly if the conditions are lovely! 🙂
Another great read full of information making mistakes makes me go back time and time again trying to learn from these and putting them right conditions may not be the same but that’s all part of it being out and about looking for that shot
Thank you very much for your comments Pat, I am glad you enjoyed the post. Mistakes are easy to make but returning time and again to a location is harder and shows dedication. I think this is the best way to learn and make a great image.
Mistakes are all too common in my own experiences. I typically just try to learn and move on (I’ve always approached my photography as a long learning experience) but, once in a while, it can be frustrating to have a big bummer of an outing, especially if I made a silly error. But it’s good to remind ourselves that mistakes are a good part of this journey and can be quite instructive. Thanks for that reminder and for taking us along on your early morning expedition.
Thank you very much for your comments and I agree, we all make mistakes and it is best not to dwell on them. Better to just learn from them and move on.
It's so easy to be seduced by the bright colours of a sunrise or sunset isn't it? I often think my first shots are like the first pancake - they are never quite right. It takes a while to get my eye in and think of different compositions and angles. But making mistakes is a great way to find out what works and what doesn't. Mistakes are just a reminder to think differently. Excellent article as always, Gill.
Thank you very much for your comments Susan and I love the pancake analogy! Making mistakes is definitely a valuable learning experience and as you say a reminder to think differently.
Very valuable article. I've just come back from a trip with 1,200 photos and I'm pleased with about 3 of them... hopefully I learned something from the other 1,197!
Thank you very much for your comments Thomas. I often find this when I go on a trip, the images never quite live up to the experience. I do find that I like the shots better as time goes by and my memories get less vivid, I can then see the shots for what they are rather than the experience I remember. (I hope that makes sense!) Maybe your other 1197 won't look that bad in a few weeks? 🙂
I particularly like the image Between the Houseboats and your triptych works really well.
I think making mistakes is the only way to learn...so I do a lot of learning! :) No matter how disciplined I try to be, I still manage to get so taken with scene from one angle, that I miss out on other compositions around me...but it's all part of the process and so worth experiencing the stillness of those moments in nature. I find looking at photographers contact sheets fascinating and a great teaching tool to see the mistakes (or alternative compositions) they make until they get 'the shot'.
Thank you very much for your comments Lin and it is good to see which of the images appeal to you. I agree with you about contact sheets, it is a great way to see how images have been constructed and compositions tweaked. A great way to learn!
The shots all seem worthwhile to me. The last one is masterful. I’m grateful to read this post as I often am disappointed in my own shots; moreover, my progress as an amateur photographer, now at it about a year. I wanted to be as good as one friend in a year and as good as another in two. It’s taken a year to realize neither goal is applicable. It certainly helps to know and understand my journey will be mine and mine alone. I feel less pressure. Not from peers, but from pressure I have put on myself. Thank you for bringing me this better understanding of my own journey through your pieces….
Thank you very much for your comments Beth, it is good to hear your thoughts. I think we are always our own worst critics and this can lead to huge pressure that we put upon ourselves. From my experience I never make good images when I feel under pressure. These only come when I am relaxed and completely in tune with my surroundings.
Oh yes, I make lots of mistakes Gill, particularly around composition 😂! Sometimes I get disappointed I didn’t see something wouldn’t work, or would be too busy. At other times I’m just glad to be outside enjoying nature, so it doesn’t matter so much. I’m currently enjoying playing with film again, which certainly makes you focus more on composition, as each shot is costing me money! I like your 2nd shot with the two boats and “Into the Light”. Lovely colours.
Thank you very much for your comments David. Mistakes around composition are really easy to make and I do it all the time. I admire you use of film and as you say I imagine this makes your photography and your compositions more considered.
Beautiful photos Gill. Honestly, I prefer the first of the two boat photos. I love the sky in the background and the way it reflects giving your composition lovely movement.
Another interesting post with great images! I think that the biggest culprit for mistakes and consequently images that do not come up to the mark, is expectation and speed. Lowering one's expectation, and taking one's time to think about creating an image should help, but of course impatience kicks in an the aimless clicking continues, only to reveal disappointment when you later view the images!
With articles like this you realise you are not alone, and if you just relax and enjoy the moment, your images will come hopefully!
Photography should be simple but it's not, it's complex, mind stretching and confusing.
You have demonstrated that with a little effort results will come, the tryptic is an example, the second boat image, I have seen some photographers would turn that into "fine art" by removing the horizon!
As usual with your text and images you take us along your journey with you, thank you!
Thank you very much for your comments Chris. I am glad you enjoyed the post and the images and I found all your comments really interesting. Photography is indeed complex and there are so many facets that go together to make a good image. I have never been one for 'fine art' shots but I can see how that might work.
Regarding the early mornings - they are my favourite time of day and I love getting out when no one else is around. However it is not necessary to get out at that time to make good shots - I think it is more important to have an open mind and the ability to embrace whatever the conditions throw at you. 🙂
Ha! I am constantly making photography mistakes! Occasionally they are camera mistakes like the focus being off or shutter speed too slow for shooting hand held. Those are the most frustrating because I feel like I should know better.
The majority of my mistakes are in composition. I feel like these are a development process, with each mistake being a learning experience.
Thanks for your insights! Very helpful!
Thank you very much for your comments Erik. If it's any consolation I make mistakes all the time, I think we all do. Sometimes it is really demoralising but they are good to learn from and they do make us better photographers in the long run. 🙂
I liked the first and second image of the boats and agree maybe there was too much going on in the first one.
I also make plenty of mistakes while out taking photos, sometimes disappointed when I get home and look at them on the screen, but as you say it's being out there early in the morning when it's quiet and maybe watching the sun come up and listening to the sounds of the birds. It's a great experience.
Thank you very much for your comments Maria, it is always good to hear what people think. I agree with you, being out in the landscape is always a great experience regardless of whether the photography is good or not. 🙂
I’ve only recently discovered your Substack site, and I’m finding it really inspiring. I make plenty of mistakes and often only recognise them much later when I have the image on a large screen. Sometimes however it seems to work the other way - I have a large number of images on my hard drive, and rarely go back to look at most of them, but occasionally I find a gem that I hadn’t thought was much good at the time. Does this happen to you? Do you discard most of the images from a shoot straight away?
Thank you very much for your comments Alistair and I am glad you are finding the posts interesting.
Yes it does happen to me. I usually process my images fairly soon after a shoot while the experience is still fresh in my mind. However sometimes I think this can work against me as I can feel that the images don't always live up to the experience. However when I go back to them a few months or even years later when my memories of the experience are diminished I tend to see them for what they are without the emotion of the experience attached. I think this is when I find images that I had initially dismissed. For this reason I never discard images from a shoot even if I don't like them on first viewing.
I hope that helps. 🙂
Good morning Gill, Your article resonated with me as I feel as though I am creatively affected adversely by domestic worries on occasions. Sometimes the location and the light quality can lift me out of this, but I recently had a holiday when the weather was depressing and dull for most of the time. We were at the coast and there was not even any wind to liven the surface of the sea. However, I would have been delighted to have taken the images shown. The last one in particular called into the light, has a calm feel perhaps helped by the almost square shape of the frame. Best wishes. Trevor Burton
Thank you very much for your comments Trevor, I am glad you enjoyed the article.
It is hard not to carry our worries with us when we go out with the camera, but I usually find they disappear once I get engrossed in my photography and looking for smaller scenes when the conditions are challenging is a great way to get the creative juices flowing.
What a great image “Into the Light” is Gill!
Thank you very much Shital, I am glad you like the image - I thought the light was beautiful.
Absolutely!
Another wonderful read, Gill. I particularly love 'Huts and Houses' and 'Into The Light'. The triptych is also wonderful. I really like how it carries its own element of storytelling and captures the sense of place.
I used to go out with a mindset of getting just one good image, and that alone would be a success. It was a mindset that took some of the pressure off, especially early on.
There's been a lot of mistakes in my journey, though I've often found that these mistakes have, at times, led to new ideas and ways of seeing.
Thank you very much for your comments Dan and I am glad you like the images.
I think mistakes are valuable learning experiences and agree that they can often lead to new ideas. I love your experimental attitude to photography and think you have created some really interesting images.
I find putting pressure on myself to come back with a good shot often leads to failure, so it is much better to relax and enjoy the time out.
Definitely!
Thank you. I feel that I’ve really loosened up over the last year or so. It’s been as much about enjoying and exploring, rather than trying to have the perfect end result in my head come to fruition, and I do think it’s often as much on instinct than anything else. Just trusting that process more than anything, and I feel it’s still evolving.
I agree, it’s definitely better to just relax and enjoy the time out. Being out in the open is definitely a huge part of it for me.
Very wise words Gill and yet another good read. Mistakes can be very deflating especially if you have made an effort to ‘catch the moment’. The triptych is lovely by the way!
Thank you very much for your comments Sian, I am glad you liked the triptych.
Mistakes can be deflating but they are good to learn from and I think they also help us grow as photographers. It can be a difficult lesson though when we mess things up, particularly if the conditions are lovely! 🙂
Another great read full of information making mistakes makes me go back time and time again trying to learn from these and putting them right conditions may not be the same but that’s all part of it being out and about looking for that shot
Thank you very much for your comments Pat, I am glad you enjoyed the post. Mistakes are easy to make but returning time and again to a location is harder and shows dedication. I think this is the best way to learn and make a great image.
Mistakes are all too common in my own experiences. I typically just try to learn and move on (I’ve always approached my photography as a long learning experience) but, once in a while, it can be frustrating to have a big bummer of an outing, especially if I made a silly error. But it’s good to remind ourselves that mistakes are a good part of this journey and can be quite instructive. Thanks for that reminder and for taking us along on your early morning expedition.
Thank you very much for your comments and I agree, we all make mistakes and it is best not to dwell on them. Better to just learn from them and move on.
Thank you very much for reading. 🙂
It's so easy to be seduced by the bright colours of a sunrise or sunset isn't it? I often think my first shots are like the first pancake - they are never quite right. It takes a while to get my eye in and think of different compositions and angles. But making mistakes is a great way to find out what works and what doesn't. Mistakes are just a reminder to think differently. Excellent article as always, Gill.
Thank you very much for your comments Susan and I love the pancake analogy! Making mistakes is definitely a valuable learning experience and as you say a reminder to think differently.
Very valuable article. I've just come back from a trip with 1,200 photos and I'm pleased with about 3 of them... hopefully I learned something from the other 1,197!
Thank you very much for your comments Thomas. I often find this when I go on a trip, the images never quite live up to the experience. I do find that I like the shots better as time goes by and my memories get less vivid, I can then see the shots for what they are rather than the experience I remember. (I hope that makes sense!) Maybe your other 1197 won't look that bad in a few weeks? 🙂
We shall see!
I particularly like the image Between the Houseboats and your triptych works really well.
I think making mistakes is the only way to learn...so I do a lot of learning! :) No matter how disciplined I try to be, I still manage to get so taken with scene from one angle, that I miss out on other compositions around me...but it's all part of the process and so worth experiencing the stillness of those moments in nature. I find looking at photographers contact sheets fascinating and a great teaching tool to see the mistakes (or alternative compositions) they make until they get 'the shot'.
Thank you very much for your comments Lin and it is good to see which of the images appeal to you. I agree with you about contact sheets, it is a great way to see how images have been constructed and compositions tweaked. A great way to learn!
The shots all seem worthwhile to me. The last one is masterful. I’m grateful to read this post as I often am disappointed in my own shots; moreover, my progress as an amateur photographer, now at it about a year. I wanted to be as good as one friend in a year and as good as another in two. It’s taken a year to realize neither goal is applicable. It certainly helps to know and understand my journey will be mine and mine alone. I feel less pressure. Not from peers, but from pressure I have put on myself. Thank you for bringing me this better understanding of my own journey through your pieces….
Thank you very much for your comments Beth, it is good to hear your thoughts. I think we are always our own worst critics and this can lead to huge pressure that we put upon ourselves. From my experience I never make good images when I feel under pressure. These only come when I am relaxed and completely in tune with my surroundings.
Oh yes, I make lots of mistakes Gill, particularly around composition 😂! Sometimes I get disappointed I didn’t see something wouldn’t work, or would be too busy. At other times I’m just glad to be outside enjoying nature, so it doesn’t matter so much. I’m currently enjoying playing with film again, which certainly makes you focus more on composition, as each shot is costing me money! I like your 2nd shot with the two boats and “Into the Light”. Lovely colours.
Thank you very much for your comments David. Mistakes around composition are really easy to make and I do it all the time. I admire you use of film and as you say I imagine this makes your photography and your compositions more considered.
Beautiful photos Gill. Honestly, I prefer the first of the two boat photos. I love the sky in the background and the way it reflects giving your composition lovely movement.
Thank you very much for your comments Pamela, it is good to hear your thoughts.
Another interesting post with great images! I think that the biggest culprit for mistakes and consequently images that do not come up to the mark, is expectation and speed. Lowering one's expectation, and taking one's time to think about creating an image should help, but of course impatience kicks in an the aimless clicking continues, only to reveal disappointment when you later view the images!
With articles like this you realise you are not alone, and if you just relax and enjoy the moment, your images will come hopefully!
Photography should be simple but it's not, it's complex, mind stretching and confusing.
You have demonstrated that with a little effort results will come, the tryptic is an example, the second boat image, I have seen some photographers would turn that into "fine art" by removing the horizon!
As usual with your text and images you take us along your journey with you, thank you!
No need for me to get up at 0430!😅
Thank you very much for your comments Chris. I am glad you enjoyed the post and the images and I found all your comments really interesting. Photography is indeed complex and there are so many facets that go together to make a good image. I have never been one for 'fine art' shots but I can see how that might work.
Regarding the early mornings - they are my favourite time of day and I love getting out when no one else is around. However it is not necessary to get out at that time to make good shots - I think it is more important to have an open mind and the ability to embrace whatever the conditions throw at you. 🙂