Learn from my photography mistakes and grow without making the mistake yourself.
Making Mistakes And Learning
Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new - Albert Einstein.
setting shutter speed in advance
The correct shutter speed is the holy grail setting for sharp photos, with the wrong shutter speed the photo becomes beyond salvageable despite any editing efforts to save it. A part which determines the correct shutter speed setting is the movement of the subject, however what happens if the subject's movement is sporadic? The ability to anticipate a subjects movement is crucial in capturing a sharp photo in this instance.
A bird that is fairly still wouldn't warrant a high shutter speed - an FPS (frames per second) that is double the amount of the focal length (i.e. zoomed in at 200mm and FPS of 1/400) is satisfactory, the downside here is if the bird decides to quickly fly off then the current shutter speed will no longer be suffice. The solution is to set a higher shutter speed (in this scenario perhaps 1/800FPS) to begin with if the ambient lighting is good enough, then you are ready to capture quick movements if the bird decides to take flight. Although the focus is generally about getting the best photo at that very moment, thinking 2 or 3 steps ahead can help to capitalise on movements that will make for a spectacular photo that is 2 or 3 times better than normal.
Over Editing
The mantra when it comes to editing is increase the detail slider, create vibrant colours like the latest slim screen televisions, and make it look more amazing with Lightroom presets. Editing is important and when shooting in RAW format this provides more flexibility in the editing process increasing the photo's potential.
There are 2 indicating test that suggest whether a photo is over edited, (A) have you changed the photo structurally where it no longer feels natural, (B) is the photo easy on the eyes.
A natural feel is important as it can evoke strong emotions from the eye of the bolder. Nature itself can scientifically make us feel relaxed and happy, transferring this power of emotions into a photo is significantly beneficial. This is the benefit an actual photo has over an AI created photo - the way light interacts with each objects and bounces to the next, the array of coloured pixels on a peacock that has been carefully places by mother nature, the way the sun extends its rays like a hug to the sandy beach makes one feel part of a group hug when viewing a seascape photo. Pushing the limits of colour grading can enhance a picture, yet there is a point where it has an adverse effect. Changing the physics of a picture can strip off it's natural beauty and replace it with an AI feel.
Easy on the eyes is the moment when starring at an object feels easy, the eyes are becoming increasingly relaxed, and it's easy to look at for long periods. It goes beyond the aesthetics of the photo, and more about the science behind the correct colour mix and content in the photo. When it's done correctly it's like a meal that has the perfect balance of ingredients. This a feeling that cannot be described with words but best understood when experienced instinctively.
Listen to your instincts
Walking along the beach with tropical trees sprouting up from the ground, people enjoying themselves while being drunk off the sunrays, the sound of the ocean feels like an audio massage, however when you look at the distant rock formation your brain halts you, alerting you the composition infront could be something special, this is your instinct.
Some of my best photos were taken when I was tired and the day was coming to an end, however when I had made my mind up the day is over, my subconscious quickly overruled after glancing at a scene whether that be trees growing in a unique formation but looks a little extra special than normal followed by a lightbulb moment. Generally these instincts become more powerful with experience due to the increasing levels of knowledge that helps create these instinctive moments.
In these lightbulb moments it is best to take a few minutes to snap the scene presented as it can generate fantastic photos, don't make the mistake and walk away. Arguably my best photo was the result of this same situation.
No to Deleting photos
Out buying a pair of jeans, after swiping the card to complete the purchase you step away with your new favourite item and the cashier ask "would you like your receipt?". When taking photos refrain from throwing out the receipt (deleting photos) as this means if you change your mind, well you can no longer change the situation. A photo may not seem that appealing at first which is hard to tell when viewing it through a tiny lower resolution screen being the camera viewfinder, however when seated infront of a PC the image may hold more potential then initially realised after some editing.
Thank you for your time and effort :)
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