Photo How To

Even the best photographers make mistakes on occasion, and there’s nothing wrong with that as long as you correct the errors and make different one’s next time. The quick video below identifies five common mistakes, and explains how to fix them with ease.

This tutorial is the third in a helpful series from photographer Evan Ranft, who says you don’t deserve to call yourself a photographer if you continually repeat common camera errors. This episode begins with two mistakes often made by first-time DSLR users, before moving on to screw-ups that pertain to somewhat more experienced photographers.

First on Ranft’s list is the imperative of fully understanding the various options on a camera’s exposure mode dial, and he provides a quick rundown on which settings work best for different types of situations. Another beginner error is what Ranft calls “Unwanted Flash”—a problem that typically occurs when shooting in a fully automatic mode, in which the flash fires when it’s not intended.

Ranft also discusses how to select the correct white balance setting for a scene, and he offers some solid advice for purchasing your next camera and lenses. After watching this video, be sure to look at Episode 1, with five more common errors, and Episode 2 that discusses mistakes often made when photographing cityscapes.