What to Avoid.....
mrjcall wrote:
The list is certainly one editor's opinions, but there some good advice buried in there for consideration....
Personally, if there is, I'm not seeing it. I see most of the comments on the list as being personal opinions of the author, presented as "truths", and some comments are flat-out wrong for some photographers (Never sign your photos. Who do you think you are? Picasso? No, but some shows demand it, as do some show promoters, along with numbered limited additions. And, customers seem to expect it. ).
In the intro to the article it says, "Kai exposes the 25 worst photo clichés that you should avoid doing if you hope to grow as a photographer". The way to grow as a photographer is to practice, a lot. Experiment, a lot. And that can/may include intentionally working with subject matter and techniques the author suggests avoiding.
If the author had taken a more instructive, rather than pontificating approach, some of the lists items might be helpful topics for a new photographer to explore. Unfortunately, he didn't and ended up with a list that does little to nothing to promote growth, and in some cases may discourage a new photographer to the point of stifling their learning.
SharpShooter wrote:
You could have shortened this entire list to one sentance.
"Avoid bad photography"!!!
It's not about cliches..., a very, very good photographer has the stills to make ANY cliche shot and make it masterful.
Don't avoid cliches, just learn to make them masterful!!!
Bad photography can make the most beautiful subject and make just a cliche!!!
SS
Masterful Cliche? Oxymoron, Shooter. Nothing helps a cliche. Nada!
And, spelling it out is the only way; good and bad are subjective terms as is masterful.
Try to appreciate good advice when it's given to you.
mrjcall wrote:
One of the more interesting lists to consider.
Selfies, weird borders, and crappy sunset shots. We’ve all rolled our eyes at these clichés, but what’s worse is that we’ve all been guilty of them at some time or another. (from PictureCorrect)
25 PHOTOGRAPHY CLICHES TO AVOID (OR ELSE)
Taking selfies. Please stop?
Bokeh, bokeh, and more bokeh. Bokeh is great—in small doses.
Signing your photos. In Kai’s words: “Who do you think you are? Picasso?”
Adding cheesy filters. Just… no.
Putting text on your photos. A good picture already paints a thousand words.
Taking the same-old sunset photos. “Red sky, red sky, red sky, red sky, red sky…”
Using obnoxious watermarks. It’s good to protect your work, but if no one can see your photo behind your large opaque branding, then what’s the point of posting it online?
Adding borders. Don’t be a noob.
Light painting names. Just forget it—the writing would look juvenile anyway.
Creating B&W photos with selective colors. Good for poignant tales. Not so good for random flowers.
Making B&W artistic nudes. A nude is a nude no matter the color space, people.
Blurring waterfalls. If shot incorrectly, blurred waterfalls look like “a load of old ladies’ hairs.”
Capturing boring landscape panoramas. 90 percent of landscape panoramas are probably just green grass at the bottom and blue sky at the top.
Taking lots of cloud photos. Take photos of cool cloud formations, sure—but don’t make clouds and sunsets your entire portfolio!
Inserting fake sun lens flare. Get your own sun flare!
Overdoing HDR. HDR is best done tastefully or not at all.
Changing better-suited color photos to B&W. Just… why?
Using the zoom burst technique. Okay, you can try it ONCE—but never again.
Creating dutch angle shots. You’ll have to work hard to set your dutch angle shots apart.
Making “postcard” images of tourist attractions. You know those touristy shots that you’ve seen a million times? We don’t need another one floating around out there. Try something new!
Photographing people who are less fortunate than you. Everyone photographs homeless people. Make your images unique or don’t make them at all.
Taking “I’m a Photographer” selfies. Don’t you do it!
Every. Single. Stock. Photo. Ever. Made. Perhaps not every stock photo, but certainly most!
Devising optical illusions. You might think you’re clever, but…
Photographing people with trollies. Apparently, Kai does this far too often.
One of the more interesting lists to consider. b... (
show quote)
Pretty much boils down if you want to be an artist be original, not that easy.
There is no need to dump on other photographers just because you struggle with your own art. Don't let your ego delude you.
You don't get better by making other people feel worse and if you don't recognise that simple truth, you don't know people and your work is never going to engage anyway. Doesn't matter what's on your list of do's and don'ts, keep it to yourself.
n3eg
Loc: West coast USA
But endless photos of birds, bugs, and flowers are always there to fall back on.
mrjcall wrote:
One of the more interesting lists to consider.
Selfies, weird borders, and crappy sunset shots. We’ve all rolled our eyes at these clichés, but what’s worse is that we’ve all been guilty of them at some time or another. (from PictureCorrect)
25 PHOTOGRAPHY CLICHES TO AVOID (OR ELSE)
Taking selfies. Please stop?
Bokeh, bokeh, and more bokeh. Bokeh is great—in small doses.
Signing your photos. In Kai’s words: “Who do you think you are? Picasso?”
Adding cheesy filters. Just… no.
Putting text on your photos. A good picture already paints a thousand words.
Taking the same-old sunset photos. “Red sky, red sky, red sky, red sky, red sky…”
Using obnoxious watermarks. It’s good to protect your work, but if no one can see your photo behind your large opaque branding, then what’s the point of posting it online?
Adding borders. Don’t be a noob.
Light painting names. Just forget it—the writing would look juvenile anyway.
Creating B&W photos with selective colors. Good for poignant tales. Not so good for random flowers.
Making B&W artistic nudes. A nude is a nude no matter the color space, people.
Blurring waterfalls. If shot incorrectly, blurred waterfalls look like “a load of old ladies’ hairs.”
Capturing boring landscape panoramas. 90 percent of landscape panoramas are probably just green grass at the bottom and blue sky at the top.
Taking lots of cloud photos. Take photos of cool cloud formations, sure—but don’t make clouds and sunsets your entire portfolio!
Inserting fake sun lens flare. Get your own sun flare!
Overdoing HDR. HDR is best done tastefully or not at all.
Changing better-suited color photos to B&W. Just… why?
Using the zoom burst technique. Okay, you can try it ONCE—but never again.
Creating dutch angle shots. You’ll have to work hard to set your dutch angle shots apart.
Making “postcard” images of tourist attractions. You know those touristy shots that you’ve seen a million times? We don’t need another one floating around out there. Try something new!
Photographing people who are less fortunate than you. Everyone photographs homeless people. Make your images unique or don’t make them at all.
Taking “I’m a Photographer” selfies. Don’t you do it!
Every. Single. Stock. Photo. Ever. Made. Perhaps not every stock photo, but certainly most!
Devising optical illusions. You might think you’re clever, but…
Photographing people with trollies. Apparently, Kai does this far too often.
One of the more interesting lists to consider. b... (
show quote)
Well it made me smile ….. but then maybe I just don’t take this photography malarky serious enough.
Well that's it then. There is no reason to have a camera anymore!
mrjcall wrote:
One of the more interesting lists to consider.
Selfies, weird borders, and crappy sunset shots. We’ve all rolled our eyes at these clichés, but what’s worse is that we’ve all been guilty of them at some time or another. (from PictureCorrect)
25 PHOTOGRAPHY CLICHES TO AVOID (OR ELSE)
Taking selfies. Please stop?
Bokeh, bokeh, and more bokeh. Bokeh is great—in small doses.
Signing your photos. In Kai’s words: “Who do you think you are? Picasso?”
Adding cheesy filters. Just… no.
Putting text on your photos. A good picture already paints a thousand words.
Taking the same-old sunset photos. “Red sky, red sky, red sky, red sky, red sky…”
Using obnoxious watermarks. It’s good to protect your work, but if no one can see your photo behind your large opaque branding, then what’s the point of posting it online?
Adding borders. Don’t be a noob.
Light painting names. Just forget it—the writing would look juvenile anyway.
Creating B&W photos with selective colors. Good for poignant tales. Not so good for random flowers.
Making B&W artistic nudes. A nude is a nude no matter the color space, people.
Blurring waterfalls. If shot incorrectly, blurred waterfalls look like “a load of old ladies’ hairs.”
Capturing boring landscape panoramas. 90 percent of landscape panoramas are probably just green grass at the bottom and blue sky at the top.
Taking lots of cloud photos. Take photos of cool cloud formations, sure—but don’t make clouds and sunsets your entire portfolio!
Inserting fake sun lens flare. Get your own sun flare!
Overdoing HDR. HDR is best done tastefully or not at all.
Changing better-suited color photos to B&W. Just… why?
Using the zoom burst technique. Okay, you can try it ONCE—but never again.
Creating dutch angle shots. You’ll have to work hard to set your dutch angle shots apart.
Making “postcard” images of tourist attractions. You know those touristy shots that you’ve seen a million times? We don’t need another one floating around out there. Try something new!
Photographing people who are less fortunate than you. Everyone photographs homeless people. Make your images unique or don’t make them at all.
Taking “I’m a Photographer” selfies. Don’t you do it!
Every. Single. Stock. Photo. Ever. Made. Perhaps not every stock photo, but certainly most!
Devising optical illusions. You might think you’re clever, but…
Photographing people with trollies. Apparently, Kai does this far too often.
One of the more interesting lists to consider. b... (
show quote)
Don't use a lens hood or a tele lens. It makes you look like you're showing off.
Buy a cheap P&S so you blend in.
Use your cell phone - that's even better.
Never use a tripod - more showing off.
Don't take pictures of family or friends. You know what they look like.
Leave your camera home on vacations. Buy picture post cards.
Don't take pictures of flowers. There are better pictures available on the Web.
No one cares what your pets look like, so stop taking pictures of them.
All landscape pictures are available on the Web, so stop wasting your time.
Sell all your photo gear and pay off some bills.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your list reminds me of those signs I see on beaches. "No running, No ball playing, No drinking, No eating, No radios, No photography, etc., etc., Have a nice day." (I wasn't able to find an online example. Maybe I should have taken a picture of one when I saw it.)
Jerryc41- good additions!
Now I'm really backed into a corner.
mrjcall wrote:
One of the more interesting lists to consider.
Selfies, weird borders, and crappy sunset shots. We’ve all rolled our eyes at these clichés, but what’s worse is that we’ve all been guilty of them at some time or another. (from PictureCorrect)
25 PHOTOGRAPHY CLICHES TO AVOID (OR ELSE)
Taking selfies. Please stop?
Bokeh, bokeh, and more bokeh. Bokeh is great—in small doses.
Signing your photos. In Kai’s words: “Who do you think you are? Picasso?”
Adding cheesy filters. Just… no.
Putting text on your photos. A good picture already paints a thousand words.
Taking the same-old sunset photos. “Red sky, red sky, red sky, red sky, red sky…”
Using obnoxious watermarks. It’s good to protect your work, but if no one can see your photo behind your large opaque branding, then what’s the point of posting it online?
Adding borders. Don’t be a noob.
Light painting names. Just forget it—the writing would look juvenile anyway.
Creating B&W photos with selective colors. Good for poignant tales. Not so good for random flowers.
Making B&W artistic nudes. A nude is a nude no matter the color space, people.
Blurring waterfalls. If shot incorrectly, blurred waterfalls look like “a load of old ladies’ hairs.”
Capturing boring landscape panoramas. 90 percent of landscape panoramas are probably just green grass at the bottom and blue sky at the top.
Taking lots of cloud photos. Take photos of cool cloud formations, sure—but don’t make clouds and sunsets your entire portfolio!
Inserting fake sun lens flare. Get your own sun flare!
Overdoing HDR. HDR is best done tastefully or not at all.
Changing better-suited color photos to B&W. Just… why?
Using the zoom burst technique. Okay, you can try it ONCE—but never again.
Creating dutch angle shots. You’ll have to work hard to set your dutch angle shots apart.
Making “postcard” images of tourist attractions. You know those touristy shots that you’ve seen a million times? We don’t need another one floating around out there. Try something new!
Photographing people who are less fortunate than you. Everyone photographs homeless people. Make your images unique or don’t make them at all.
Taking “I’m a Photographer” selfies. Don’t you do it!
Every. Single. Stock. Photo. Ever. Made. Perhaps not every stock photo, but certainly most!
Devising optical illusions. You might think you’re clever, but…
Photographing people with trollies. Apparently, Kai does this far too often.
One of the more interesting lists to consider. b... (
show quote)
Wow! This is the type of garbage that (if followed) would set photography (and art) back hundreds of years. I can just hear the writer complaining about some of Michal Angelo's sculptures (What" No arms? And you call yourself an artist?... Or, it's just a ceiling, paint it white.... Or to Da Vinci, "its just another portrait of some lady, dump it and paint landscapes".
Photography is like art. We may not all appreciate the artist or what the artist was showing but at least the artist made the painting /or print. It may not make the art museum or the photo mags (most of which are going away) but it is the photographers work and each photo taken is a movement toward increasing the photographers knowledge of what works and what doesn't. AND, some people may hate the photo and others may love it so the list is just one person's opinion. And opinions are like a certain posterior body part, everyone has one. If you don't agree with is opinion, then fine, if you do, that's fine too. The real judge is the person that took the picture and anyone that decides to purchase or display it. We don't have to agree or disagree. We can choose to ignore.
mrjcall wrote:
One of the more interesting lists to consider.
Selfies, weird borders, and crappy sunset shots. We’ve all rolled our eyes at these clichés, but what’s worse is that we’ve all been guilty of them at some time or another. (from PictureCorrect)
25 PHOTOGRAPHY CLICHES TO AVOID (OR ELSE)
Taking selfies. Please stop?
Bokeh, bokeh, and more bokeh. Bokeh is great—in small doses.
Signing your photos. In Kai’s words: “Who do you think you are? Picasso?”
Adding cheesy filters. Just… no.
Putting text on your photos. A good picture already paints a thousand words.
Taking the same-old sunset photos. “Red sky, red sky, red sky, red sky, red sky…”
Using obnoxious watermarks. It’s good to protect your work, but if no one can see your photo behind your large opaque branding, then what’s the point of posting it online?
Adding borders. Don’t be a noob.
Light painting names. Just forget it—the writing would look juvenile anyway.
Creating B&W photos with selective colors. Good for poignant tales. Not so good for random flowers.
Making B&W artistic nudes. A nude is a nude no matter the color space, people.
Blurring waterfalls. If shot incorrectly, blurred waterfalls look like “a load of old ladies’ hairs.”
Capturing boring landscape panoramas. 90 percent of landscape panoramas are probably just green grass at the bottom and blue sky at the top.
Taking lots of cloud photos. Take photos of cool cloud formations, sure—but don’t make clouds and sunsets your entire portfolio!
Inserting fake sun lens flare. Get your own sun flare!
Overdoing HDR. HDR is best done tastefully or not at all.
Changing better-suited color photos to B&W. Just… why?
Using the zoom burst technique. Okay, you can try it ONCE—but never again.
Creating dutch angle shots. You’ll have to work hard to set your dutch angle shots apart.
Making “postcard” images of tourist attractions. You know those touristy shots that you’ve seen a million times? We don’t need another one floating around out there. Try something new!
Photographing people who are less fortunate than you. Everyone photographs homeless people. Make your images unique or don’t make them at all.
Taking “I’m a Photographer” selfies. Don’t you do it!
Every. Single. Stock. Photo. Ever. Made. Perhaps not every stock photo, but certainly most!
Devising optical illusions. You might think you’re clever, but…
Photographing people with trollies. Apparently, Kai does this far too often.
One of the more interesting lists to consider. b... (
show quote)
Well, thank you Professor Photographer! Please, may I submit all of my future photos to you for approval before I post them anywhere?
If you want to reply, then
register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.
