A Century of Photographic Mistakes
Personal cameras have been available since the early 1900s, but we’re still making the same mistakes as our ancestors. Cameras are faster, cheaper, and better quality than ever, but today’s digital photos have many of the same flaws as early photography from a century ago.
I recently discovered a batch of photos from around 1910 that suffer from the same flaws that we see in today’s digital photo collections. What can we learn from a century of bad habits?
Underexposed
The word “photography” literally means “drawing with light,” but many people still underexpose their photos. Without enough light, you can’t have a good photograph. Slow down and find the light you need to make a good exposure.
Blurry
Not having enough light can also lead to blurry photos. You might have a great subject and excellent composition, but a blurry shot ruins the moment. Make sure there’s enough light and that you’re holding your camera steady.
No Subject
I feel silly writing this, but make sure your photo has a clear subject. This requires patience, observation, and maybe even some directing.
Amputation
It’s shocking how often people cut off heads, hands, and feet in photographs. I’m not suggesting every photo has to be a full-body portrait, but don’t cut off people’s heads or crop arms and legs at the joints.
Composition
Make sure that the subject of your photo fills the majority of the frame. In this example, the person is too small to see, half the house is cut off, and the empty street fills 1/3 of the frame. This could have been a portrait of the home owner or a memorable photo of the family home, but it’s neither.
Conclusion
Photography is more affordable and accessible than ever, but most of us take it for granted. I hope these classic blunders serve as practical reminders of simple ways to take better photos for you to enjoy and share.
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