Common Photography Mistakes That I Still Make

We’re always learning

By Sam Bugas - May 2024

If there is one absolute truth in photography, it’s that there is no ceiling to our understanding. We are always learning, always making mistakes, and we always have boundless room to improve. This truth therefore demands that we stay self-critical, taking time to figure out what we are doing right, and where we may be making the same mistakes time after time. After five years of using a camera consistently, I can absolutely say that there is a list far too long for this post alone of the countless mistakes I make on a nearly daily basis. In this short, 5-10 minute read, I’ll share some of the mistakes I still make that I think everyone can learn from.

Comparing Yourself to Other Photographers

Arguably the most common pitfall we fall into is comparing ourselves to other photographers. Unless you have far better judgement than I do, you likely have social media accounts that all feed you the work of your favorite collection of creators. Think about this fundamentally, though. When you open an app, you are presented with the best work, from the best photographers, on their best days, edited, groomed, and displayed with dialogue that is meant to hold your attention. You are therefore comparing your own work, and possibly your worth, to a curated collection that doesn’t reflect accurately on any individual artist. This creates a firm relativity bias wherein compared to that collection, you feel inadequate. The truth is that each one of those excellent photographers whose work has made it into your feed that day also feels inadequate when they compare their own work to the full collection. Give yourself a break and stop comparing yourself to other photographers.

Planting Your Feet

You’ve just reached the great canal in Venice and found a frame that captures every inch of what makes your heart pound in that moment. Perhaps you are below the great red cliffs in Zion, with a frame in your viewfinder that you’ve dreamt of for years. This is a moment of reward, but it is also paralyzing. That single frame may be good, or it may be bad, but what’s important is recognizing that it is not the only frame to find. It’s all too easy to fixate on a single frame, perspective, or subject when you enter a new setting, but in most cases, it’s not going to be that first shot that's the best shot. Remember to move your feet, scan the scene, get low and high, and generally avoid planting your feet. All too many times I’ve come home with what I thought would be the one award winning photo only to realize I should have worked the scene. Don’t make the same mistake.

Bringing Too Many Lenses

You’re packing your camera bag with the hum of an exciting song in the background. You feel good with a brilliant adventure ahead of you. All the different photo possibilities are racing through your mind. They bite at you, and as if through telepathic force, pressure you into packing another lens; you cannot miss the shot. There are some cases where multiple lenses can be useful, but more often than not, a bag full of lenses is doing you more harm than good. The best photographic moments are typically fleeting, and if you have four lenses you are trying to choose from, you are likely going to miss the moment when it’s at it’s best. Grab a lens, or two, that you know very well, and trust that you can create beautiful art with what you have. For one, you can, and two, it’s a great training exercise that will help you improve as a photographer.

Leaving Yourself Too Little Time

Life can be quite busy, and we often set out to try and create images with whatever time we have. We should expect though, that less time will often leave us with less ideal results. I am guilty of showing up late, cramming my planning, and trying to execute at the last hour on countless occasions. Nearly every time, I get home, look at my files, and sigh with the realization that they are mostly…boring. It can be enough to make me question whether I have any kind of eye for composition. This isn’t a fair resolve, though, and the whole problem comes from leaving too little time. I am not the kind of photographer that plans using sun and star maps months ahead of time, but I do firmly believe that my odds of creating something memorable are far higher if I have three hours to scout and setup rather than 30 minutes. Leave yourself enough time to prepare and execute your idea without feeling badly rushed!

Checking Boxes

I firmly believe that this mistake ties in closely with the first mistake I wrote about. In most cases, we travel somewhere because we’ve learned about it, seen photos, built up the desire to visit and pulled the trigger. We can’t always be global explorers, unearthing unseen depths beneath glaciers where man has never gazed before. Therefore, we are likely showing up with photos, stories, and impressions in mind that compelled us too visit. It quickly becomes a crutch to try to replicate those photos, adventures, and experiences, rather than treating each moment organically. I’ve damaged otherwise perfect moments on big adventures by trying to walk the same steps as other photographers that came before me, treating their successful photos like a checklist I need to complete. Stop checking those boxes, build your own narrative, and create art that is yours alone.

To Summarize

This is just the beginning of my many shortcomings when I’m out with a camera. After talking with many other photographers, though, I believe these mistakes are common between so many of us. We are never going to be perfect, avoiding every possible mistake, but we can stay self aware and improve our capacity to not only create better art, but also live better stories.

About Me:

I have shot photos for five years, with a consistent focus on capturing moments of action and environment while I am outside. I’ve dabbled in quite a few different genres of photography, and I’ve found that my favorite moments to take a photo are when the wind is whipping, the air is freezing, and I’m far away from home. Over the last year, I’ve come to the realization that taking photos and telling stories are two very different things. My goal is to keep improving as a story teller that can work in the harshest environments and come away with compelling sets of photos and written stories that help me, and others, to relive the essence of an adventure. I am focused on continuing to grow as a visual story teller so that I may leverage my skills to successfully work within conservation, expedition photography, and commercial photography.

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