Common mistakes to avoid in fine arts photography

Fine arts photography is all about focusing on the aesthetic aspects of expressionism that rely on certain theories as well as guidelines of practice. However, while practicing, many students make mistakesthat are quite common. The reason behind these mistakes is that fine arts itself are a multi-dimensional subject that spans across different segments of art. Below the mistakes are discussed and their solutions are discussed.

1. A photo should be 'perfect'

Perfection is absolutely necessary to master any subjectbut in fine art photography 'perfection' is relative and a photograph can be 'perfect' for some but 'imperfect' to others. Hence, while doing photography it is necessary to keep a positive mindsetwhile being open to the different approaches. This way, by experimenting with the photos, one can get the desired output eventually.

2. Explore the different genre

This has been somewhat discussed in the above. We talked about being open to different approaches in fine arts photography. By approaches, we meant not just the techniques or equipment but also the various genre and schools of photography.On a smaller scale, exploring landscape and portrait photography on various subjects such as nature and abstract objects, etc. is also required for obtaining a complete experience on the subject. Many students try to stick to a particular genre and this resultsin the production of photos belonging to that genre only.

3. Beyond the Camera Settings

Properly adjusting the camera is a must to take the desired photo but in fine arts, there is more to just optimizing the settings for an 'appealing' shot. It is important to study the background, the emotions, intensity of light, etc. for a satisfactory photo. Too much dependency on the camera settings will limit the scope of analysing the other factors necessary for taking a good photo.

4. Manual modes are best

In contrast to the above point, some settings on the camera must not be ignored. Photographers often use the Auto Mode and this is a mistake as the camera plays the part in controlling the exposure, lighting, etc. in photos which at many times do provide a very undesired output.

5. Experimenting with Self-portrait

A self-photo taken from different angles capturing the different moods of the subject is essential as they fall into the category of fine art photographs.However, casual self-photographs taken with a mobile cameracan be considered as a common mistake because self-photos with these devices limit posing as well as setting up the perfect angle for the shot. Therefore, using a good camera other than the mobile along with custom lenses is recommended.The self-photo will naturally have to be taken by a photographer who has a basic understanding of photography in fine arts.

6. Using a lot of equipment

Though it is true that for taking good photos certain equipment is necessary, using or investing in plenty of equipment is a mistake that is often made by many. The rule here is to start with some equipment and learn their usage and then slowly add more to the gear. This provides photographers to learn the usage of all the equipment.

In most of the sessions of fine art photography in Sydney,one can find students discussing and learning from each other to excel in this multi-dimensional subject while keeping in mind the above-discussed points.