5 things photographers need to stop doing

Totally agree! Sometimes it really takes effort not to respond on photo forums and FB pages when 1 or more of these 5 points come up...

Nando, completely and wholeheartedly agree. As, for that matter, do people who feel they have to disagree with authors of articles like this.

Nicely sharp writing, Nando.

egerards wrote on Tuesday 17 August 2021 at 10:54  | reply

I regularly spend time on an international photography forum and these points mentioned are so recognizable! Especially when there are discussions about full frame vs. other camera formats, then brace yourself. As the owner of micro fourthirds, full frame and also a good compact camera, I always try to get the best out of each format and enjoy it. That makes your life a lot easier...

Photographers who ask what do you think underneath a piece of text. Should perhaps consider whether they are content creators. 😉
This is the same as do you think black and white or color is prettier?
Isn't the content creator the person who decides what is in the text?
Or is this just clickbait like a photo where the photographer asks whether black and white or color is better?
But is it allowed now because it is content and the creator therefore wants to have clickbait.

P.s. sorry for the trendy language, But otherwise I won't get any views on this post. 🤣🙈

It would be nice if photographers would stop with those yoghurt photos of waterfalls and pools. There are few beautiful photos to be found where the water looks the way nature shows it. It just doesn't stop, I and several amateur photographers find it horrible !!

Totally agree. These really are things that happen far too often. I have to honestly admit that I too have sinned in the past. Asking which photo was the best. Only to ultimately STILL choose the one I liked best myself. So I stopped doing that
What annoys me the most is the brand war. I don't take part in that.
Another thing that can still moderately annoy me is people asking which brand you recommend, which camera and which lens... THAT I find a completely pointless question. Just go to a shop where the service is very good and ask for advice according to your budget. (because that question online also often leads to unnecessary discussions...)

Ah I read that last week in English, FStoppers.

Good article. I especially appreciate the part about M mode. I always wonder why I wouldn't make use of all the programming the manufacturer has put into the camera.

The comment on points 3, 4 and 5 is too simplistic. With points 3 and 4, it depends on the reason for publication. Showing images you made and asking for opinions will influence the photographer's development. And with point 5, you do have control over what your photo will look like. You determine what the depth of field will be and consciously choose the amount of light you want to see in the photo. In auto or semi-auto, the control is less.

Finally someone who brings this up.
Thanks for the article, people are way too concerned with someone else anyway. Most aren't hindered by knowledge.

Nando, wholeheartedly agree 100%, but it often seems to be due to the "social media mentality" that people can usually express opinions unsolicited and anonymously and above all show that they know even more about it than an author.

Quite a lot of words for a handful of personal annoyances. They are open platforms, as far as I'm concerned everyone may post or publish photos as they choose.

Ok am very happy with this article. This describes exactly what bothers me. Good that it has been recorded here. Regarding weather photos I have a few more.

completely agree

You hit the nail on the head. Clear piece , and now let's just hope everyone stops this. Go take beautiful photos, make your own choice, follow your own path , do what you enjoy. It is the person behind the camera who takes the photo. The camera is merely a tool, whatever the brand. Although I do find some things a hype, like Sony, and mirrorless cameras ( which many photographers then use an adapter on because there aren't enough lenses for that mount or they are very expensive . ) I speak from experience. I recently bought a Canon RP only to find out that the choice of RF mount lenses is rather limited or you have to buy expensive L lenses. So you have to work with an adapter, which makes your lens 2 1/5 cm longer. Since last week I have also bought a Canon %D Mark II as a backup camera. After using it a few times I immediately thought ...... why did I buy a mirrorless camera? Stunning quality of the 5D and...... you don't need an adapter because the choice of EF lenses is huge.

Dear Nando, my name is Sjuul van Bakel. I just wanted to point out to you that if you have edited a photo to your liking in color, you can ALSO still choose to press the black-and-white button. Then you get an edited B/W photo and not just a B/W photo!

Completely agree. For me, it was a reason to leave a few groups on fb.

Good piece again, Nando.
Very recognizable too, although I never go on Facebook or any social media site, I have noticed it in the photo club(?)
There is also a sixth thing, which is very much an issue at the moment (unfortunately also among the manufacturers) a mirrorless is better....

mousquito wrote on Tuesday 17 August 2021 at 13:06  | reply

there are certainly a few points that sometimes annoy me too. Especially attacking the other brands. But what also fits in this list, I think, is the question "which lens should I buy" More and more often on facebook I come across this question and they never give the right details, such as for what purpose or whether they want an all-rounder that has macro and wide-angle and portrait and zoom factor xxx.

I completely agree with the author! It is a form of 'Social Media Hygiene' that still needs to develop and that photographers need to be educated about.

What, how and with what the photographer photographs is a personal choice and taste and nothing else.

Very beautiful, eloquent article We should regularly read it so as not to forget anything

Before a photo is posted, it first has to be taken. Some 'photographers' think that the whole world can just come to a standstill because they have to take a photo.
Taking a photo starts with looking.
And thus also looking for the right moment.
Recently there was another such important photographer who thought he could just stand at the front. So he stood right in front of a couple who were trying to enjoy their view together. The fact that the man was in a wheelchair was no reason for the photographer to take that into account.
Many photographers of this kind only look at the photos at home to see what they saw.

Why is everyone making such a fuss about what kind of camera you have. I've been doing it with my mobile phone for the last three years, and I still get good quality. But what it really comes down to, which is why it doesn't matter what kind of camera you have, is that you have the "right eye" for it. And yes I have a Canon App, so what?

I think you are absolutely right.

My neighbor is of the opinion that our dear Lord saves. Well, Nando does that too. At point 5. I always feel that I'm not a good photographer because I shoot in M mode very little. I don't belong to the "real" and "serious" ones. I just do whatever and am lazy.
I work almost always in P mode, namely, and I shift when I want to choose a different aperture or a different shutter speed, depending on what I want to express.
Now, Nando, I'm getting some self-confidence again. Thanks.

@Paul: ... and yes, mirrorless is better!

That's how marketing works. The seed has been planted.
Mirrorless is lighter in weight, and certainly now that the EVF delivers a good image, that problem has also been eliminated. So the manufacturer knows how to get the user on its path. They can now also legitimately (and without scruples) pass the development costs on to us. After this, the number sold of SLRs then declines, the manufacturer observes. As a result, the new developments and progress are also attributed to mirrorless.

In short, the manufacturer earns twice from us users who are looking for improvement and refinement in quality.

Well, if the manufacturer is not quick enough with the range, And we users also complain about the prices, then quickly develop an adapter (which weighs about the same, even more, as the mirror...) with which we can screw the "old" excellent and affordable glass onto an expensive body.

Now we can all take better photos again!
Or...???
Is it still THE photographer behind the camera who takes THE photo?

Donald Willemsen wrote on Tuesday 17 August 2021 at 14:57  | reply

@ Lauran, you're generalizing. I couldn't begin to count the amateurs who take just as good or, if not, better (more beautiful) photos than a pro. The amateur photographs out of passion/hobby. A pro has to earn their living from it. In a sense, a pro has to do what their client demands. In most cases, the amateur simply does as they please.

scoot-shooter wrote on Tuesday 17 August 2021 at 15:16  | reply

clear and straightforward.. and totally agree

A logo that immediately draws all the attention is a shame too.

Nando, that's completely right , I have some difficulty with the little word "Must" . On forums you see exactly the same, scroll through and only look at what interests you and think of your blood pressure. Believe me, then you'll get annoyed much less.
Regards

Dick

Guido Bellens wrote on Tuesday 17 August 2021 at 18:34  | reply

I can totally relate to what you write here; Another one is having a drop-dead gorgeous girl as a model and taking a simple photo of her, nothing more, then you see as a comment - great shot and beautiful girl - .... it drives me nuts.

To come back to the M mode for a moment. You choose a DOF via your aperture, movement or freezing via the shutter speed. I immediately see more or less exposure through my viewfinder (one of the advantages of a mirrorless ?) and my camera is programmed in such a way that through orange and blue discolorations in the viewfinder or screen I immediately see the blown-out or blackened zones (so without detail). Then it is simply a matter of turning the exposure dial to the left or right until those colours have disappeared. If orange and blue remain at the same time, then it is time to choose HDR. Through a red edge I can also see which parts are perfectly in focus and when those zones do not suit me, I can immediately switch from autofocus to manual focusing. I keep the ISO at the best value for my cameras, 200. When I want to photograph dark objects, I choose automatic ISO, which I have limited to 1600 at the top end.
I can perhaps understand that you (possibly) want to fiddle with the M for studio work with lighting and flashes. But I have no understanding of studio work, so I actually don't know that. But for other photography ? It's a mystery to me why you would choose M. I did notice in the early stages that various more experienced photographers made such a big deal about it because the beginner didn't understand much of it anyway and thus distanced themselves from the others as an 'experienced photographer'. For me anyway, bye bye mister 'M'. Those who take pleasure in continuing to use M ... entirely their right. But stop promoting it as the only valuable system.

Regarding point five, I still think, complete control, oh well. But with manual you can consciously choose to deviate from what the camera indicates is correct. Underexpose or overexpose and do that with the choice you consider important. So either aperture or shutter speed, without having to make a concession. Then it is useful that you can see live what you are doing, which I can do with my Sony (because yes, the other brands are nothing…). The viewfinder is a little screen, separate from the larger screen. Of course it always has its limitations, but I can work with that.

The exposure is Certainly under control faster in M mode. With the deepest knowledge of what shutter speed, aperture, under- and overexposure, taking away light, and more do, you can achieve results faster with the light meter in the eyepiece and possibly the "preview button", and certainly with special atmospheric lighting. No discussion possible.

I usually have my camera set to A mode and the metering mode to matrix. For me, the aperture opening is usually the most important. I say: usually. That works for portraits, landscapes and architecture, but when I photograph fast-moving things, my camera goes to S. It just depends on what is most important at that moment, of course.
The M is the exception, for when there is no other way. Often spot metering is also used then.
Maybe I am the exception, but I own a Nikon, Canon as well as Olympus camera. The Canon is great for being able to reuse my old lenses. That does not work on the Nikon. I have that one because of its unparalleled technical quality under varying lighting conditions. (The Canon is already somewhat older). The Olympus? I can take that anywhere with three lenses from 12 to 300mm. All f/2.8. On the Nikon that would amount to more than 6 kg.
The image quality? I can make a 150 cm wide print from each camera, without you immediately being able to see which camera it was made with.

Dear Nando,

You regularly write an enjoyable article, but this is just contrived. If you can't think of anything else to fill a column with, then perhaps you should take a deeper look at a specific camera, lens or other peripheral equipment again.
If you get annoyed by what happens online then you should just keep scrolling and not start putting labels on why and how people post images.
The nice thing about the Internet is that everyone should mainly be able to do whatever they feel like and yes... in the end you are of course also free to write whatever you want, but will it be next week that you get annoyed by the terrible post-processing and the blurry photos etc. and that people should stop doing that?
Breathe in.... hold it...... and calmly breathe out again.

Yes, completely correct. All those endless discussions are the same as: are you a supporter of Ajax or Feijenoord? Ask a Mercedes driver: do you also think a Mercedes is such a bad car? I would like to add annoyance 6: for sale, my Canon EOS 24-105mm f4L IS II USM. The first question you are guaranteed to get is: How old is it?

I love mode M, simply, auto mode fails too,, who doesn't. Try it on the full moon setting automatically, that way I don't see them, with mode M it's very quick to get them just right on your data carrier (be it a photo) Sorry, I've only been at it for 62 years as an amateur and fortunately I'm still learning.

@George,
I've been doing it for 61 years too, and still enjoy it.
I never use the auto mode, but neither do I use M. Aperture priority A on Nikon works perfectly. But shooting the full moon. First of all, you have to use spot metering, and then meter on the moon, and then still adjust back one or 2_3 stops with the exposure compensation.
Of course you can also use M, and then rely on your memory for which aperture, shutter speed and ISO (ASA, DIN) value you should use. Whether that goes faster for you......

arendjanbolhuis@ziggo.nl wrote on Monday 6 September 2021 at 09:14  | reply

When you consider taking a photo with everything that comes with it as a journey with a destination, where the photo is the destination of the journey and everything that comes with it is the journey to the destination, and you moreover consider the EXPERIENCE of the journey even more important than the destination, then you should especially set your camera to M mode for taking a photo of - for example - a deer rushing past. You are then giving yourself the opportunity to have the following unique experience: So your camera is in (professional!) M mode, the ISO is in order and you have set the right shutter speed (do stop down sufficiently, please, the deer is rushing past). You have also turned the aperture wheel to the right position. Nothing else to mention. The exposure is set perfectly. Now all that remains is waiting for the deer. Look, there it comes rushing along! It is, as it were, running parallel to a large cloud moving forwards, which just before the moment you want to photographically shoot the deer moves in front of the sun. As a result, the surroundings suddenly look quite a bit darker than you had imagined with the photo in mind. You understand that this has consequences for your settings. While the deer is rushing out of the frame, you will have to turn the wheels for your shutter speed and aperture again. So said, so done. You take the photo and... it turns out there is no deer in it. I told you that, didn't I? The deer rushed out of the frame while you were turning the wheels. It is a shame about the photo, but no one can take the unique experience of completely messing up an unnecessary opportunity away from you anymore.

A real professional makes things as easy as possible for himself. Why would you supposedly professionally start turning wheels in M mode while the camera does it much more easily for you in Tv mode (Canon, shutter speed) and also makes sure that annoying clouds cannot ruin your exposure.
And why - another example - would you not simply put your camera in P mode if you only want to shoot a few pictures of locations that you want to take a real photo of later?

PixelDude Raoul wrote on Monday 6 September 2021 at 11:20  | reply

Brilliantly summarized. A few weeks ago, on a whim, I wrote the same thing but in a genuinely sarcastic tone, which consequently wasn't published either (Nando, which I completely understand).
I don't have a single positive word to say about the 'so-called' professionals who stubbornly and obtusely continue to swear by staying fully manual. A car has had an engine and no pedals for a loooong time, like the Flintstones. Same goes for the modern camera.