Photo How To

Unforced errors are part of the photographic process, and the goal is to not make the same mistake twice. The quick video below will help prevent you from doing that by identifying a handful of common faux pas and explaining how to avoid or fix them.

This seven-minute explainer comes to you from our friends at Mango Street, a popular YouTube channel devoted to “tutorials that don’t waste your time.” In preparing this episode the Mango Street crew reviewed numerous photos made by beginners and came up with a list of five image-killing errors.

Even if you consider yourself a more experienced shooter, you might find that you make some of these mistakes yourself. In any case, regardless of your skill level, these tips from Mango Street will take your photography to the next level.

As you’ll see, one cause of ineffective photos is the lack of sufficient visual interest or meaning. Successful photographers concentrate on capturing meaningful images with a clear point of interest—in other words, photos that tell a story. With this as your mindset, better work is sure to follow.

A related mistake occurs when composing images without a specific focal point that guides a viewer's eyes through the frame. This often occurs with busy landscape scenes that leave viewers wondering, “What is the subject of this photo?” Like with other topics in this tutorial, you’ll learn simple methods for avoiding this problem.

Other mistakes discussed include the lack of consideration for how the colors in a scene impact a photo, the significant difference between good light and bad, and what the instructors mean when they encourage you to “think inside the box.”

With the weekend upon us, this is a good time to grab some gear and experiment with these tips. You’ll likely be impressed with the results you achieve.

There’s much more to see on the Mango Street YouTube channel, so be sure and take a look. And check out another tutorial we posted recently, demonstrating what one pro says are the best camera settings for landscape photography.