1. Embracing mistakes

I learn most from my mistakes, and so it’s my hope that revealing some of them, helps to show how good photos very rarely happen with the first click of the shutter.

Let’s focus on three of the most common mistakes:

Messy Background
Not squaring up
Too far away and shooting at our eye level

We’ve touched on all of these points during the course - but hopefully, reflecting on them with different examples, and in a different way - will help really consolidate what we’ve learned.

As the great Martin Parr says:

“Photography is the simplest thing in the world, but it is incredibly complicated to make it really work.”

2. Videos

2.1 Messy Backgrounds

Before watching the video below - have a quick look at this image (it’s in the video). What might you have done if you were taking the photo, to find a cleaner background?

2.2 Squaring Up

Here’s another image that’s included in the video below. It’s of two siblings playing while waiting for a train. Before pressing play, think about what you might have done differently. For example, where would you have stood or moved the camera to?

Especially for Newborns

2.3 Too far away and staying at eye level

Again another photo to think about before watching the video on the topic of being too far away (a clue!!). How might you have changed the camera position?

Congratulations!

You’ve made it to the end of the course:
An in-depth look at Composition!

If you are a student with the feedback option there’s one more assignment (in the next lesson), and if not - you’re still welcome to try the activities yourself.

A quick pause for some housekeeping

3. Housekeeping

PDF of Composition Course notes
Course 2 | Light
Note for Feedback students
Final comment

Course notes

You can find a PDF of the course notes here. Please make sure to keep it somewhere safe, so you can refer back to it as a reminder of the key points.

Cheat sheet

Additional Course | Light

We’ve just finished a standalone photography course. The skills and strategies we’ve learned are enough to dramatically improve any image.

I so enjoyed creating it I’m considering focusing on another important photographic element: Light. And it’s only available if you’ve read up to here. I.e., already have these most important compositional skills. If you’d like to be notified when and if it’s good enough to share please send me a quick email to let me know.

Course 2 - Information

One final comment

I appreciate that as a busy parent, you wear more hats than just the photographer’s one - so don’t have the luxury I do to just stay with a particular scene for as long as you want - trying different angles and ideas. However, the big advantage you have, that I don’t - is access. I’m only with a family for a short period of time, and can’t go back to try again - but you can! So, if you see a great everyday moment and have an idea for a good composition - but don’t get it right the first time just tuck the idea away, and try it again i.e. the next bath-time, or when the kids are next sitting at the breakfast table...

As Diane Arbus said:

“It’s important to take bad pictures. It’s the bad ones that have to do with what you’ve never done before. They can make you recognize something you hadn’t seen in a way that will make you recognize it when you see it again.”

Wishing you many wonderful photography moments ahead,

9. Embracing Mistakes (Copy)