10 Most Common Photography Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Every beginner photographer makes the same mistakes – overexposure, blurry shots, bad lighting.
The good news? Just a few simple habits can make your photos look like they were taken by a pro.

Here’s a list of the 10 most common photography mistakes – and, more importantly, tips on how to avoid them.

Shooting into harsh light

The most common mistake that can ruin even a great composition. When shooting against the sun, your subject gets lost in shadow.

How to fix it:

• Position yourself so the light comes from the side or front.
• Or use backlight creatively – add a silhouette or lens flare.

Blurry photos

Unsharp photos are usually caused by a shutter speed that’s too slow or by camera shake.

How to fix it:

• Use a faster shutter speed (1/125 or faster).
• Keep your camera steady – hold it with both hands or use a tripod.
• Turn on image stabilization (OIS/IBIS) if available.

Bad exposure

Your photo is either too dark or overexposed. Auto mode often struggles, especially in high-contrast scenes.

How to fix it:

• Learn to use exposure compensation (+/-).
• Check the histogram – ideally with no clipped highlights or shadows.
• Shoot in RAW so you can easily adjust exposure later.

Ignoring the background

Many beginners focus only on the main subject – and miss the clutter behind it.

How to fix it:

• Simplify the scene.
• Step back or change your angle.
• Use a shallow depth of field (f/2.8 – f/4) to blur the background.

Poor composition

The photo feels “off-balance,” even if the settings are technically correct.

How to fix it:

• Use the rule of thirds.
• Place your subject off-center.
• Keep the horizon straight – even a small tilt can distract.

Ignoring lighting conditions

Shooting at noon in direct sunlight? That’s a sure way to ruin colors and contrast.

How to fix it:

• The best light is in the morning or evening (the golden hour).
• If you must shoot at noon, look for shade or diffused light.

Incorrect white balance

Photos may look too cool or too warm – and lose their natural feel.

How to fix it:

• Use the preset for your lighting (sunlight, shade, tungsten).
• With RAW photos, you can adjust white balance later in editing.

Overediting

Filters, extreme contrast, HDR, or oversaturation – all can easily ruin a photo.

How to fix it:

• Less is more.
• Keep your photos looking natural.
• Edit only what enhances reality, not what changes it.

Shooting without purpose

Many photos are taken without thinking – just a quick click. The result? No story, no emotion.

How to fix it:

• Think about what you want to express.
• Look for a subject, emotion, or story.
• One thoughtful photo is better than ten average ones.

Unorganized photos

Many people can take great photos, but keeping order among thousands of them is a challenge. Forgotten photos, duplicates, and chaos are common problems.

How to fix it:
Use tools that help you organize, sort, and store photos securely – such as Infiry.

How Infiry helps you stay organized

Infiry is a web app that helps photographers, companies, and individuals keep their photos accessible, organized, and safe.

Infiry can:

• 📥 Upload hundreds of photos at once without losing quality.
• 🏷 Add captions, keywords, author, date, and license info.
• 🔎 Search by color, description, or content.
• ☁️ Share photos with clients or teammates via link.
• 🤖 Use AI to automatically generate keywords from photo content.

👉 Try Infiry for free and finally keep your best (and sharpest) photos perfectly organized.