Mistake #7: Not taking enough pictures
Professional photographers take 300-500+ pictures at weddings or special events. While I'm not suggesting you should run around and take more pictures than the pros, it's funny how few images people really take.

It's easy to delete the bad ones. Digital equals instant gratification, but it's still smart to take at least a handful of similar shots when you have the opportunity to do so. Because the screen is so small, you may not be able to tell right away if someone is blinking or has a bad expression. Backup your great shots with extras that are similar.

Photographers know that if they take ten pictures of the same thing, at least a couple of them will be good enough to give the clients. It's always better to have way too many than not nearly enough.

Final thoughts
Take a look at Figure A, where I've applied many of the techniques discussed. Move subjects closer to the lens. Place them slightly off-center to create interest. Your background will still be in focus. Don't be afraid to crop out more of the sky or ground as needed. In this photo, most of the sky is not seen, bringing all attention to the people. Using fill flash will even skin tones, highlight the whites of eyes and will decrease shadows.

FIGURE A


This photo uses many of the elements discussed. Photo by Anne Violette. Roll over picture for a larger image.

Even with all these tweaks, this picture has one flaw, which is that the woman's hair has blown across her upper lip, almost giving her a mustache effect. This is why you want to take a pile of pictures. The very next one, framed the same way, might not have the wind blowing quite as much, and the picture could turn out completely differently.

Of course there is an exception to every rule. Understanding mistakes is only a small tip of the iceberg in becoming a really good photographer.

If you're still shooting film, choosing an acceptable lab for developing is imperative. The lab doesn't necessarily have to be expensive if the technician who operates the machine is skilled at fixing imperfections, such as skin tone, color adjustments or consistency.

All of the labs have comparable machinery and paper quality. If the staff is poorly trained or gets too much walk-in traffic, they become lazy about corrections. A good lab technician will look at skin color imperfections and adjust the machine to maximize the output of the images. If the overall color is too red, blue or green, it could be an easy correction without fancy computer software needed. People often don't realize what is possible and blame themselves for the poor end result.

Practice these tips and composition. Your photos will look so much better.

Jorge Sosa is a writer/photographer for the Hutchinson Leader. He can be reached via e-mail at jsosa1234@yahoo.com or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jsosa1234.