Taking photos is fun and shouldn’t be something that you take too seriously, but by the same token you don’t want to waste time snapping away if you’re going to get bad results back. You want your pictures to be of a high standard, pictures that you’ll be proud to show your friends and family. Pictures that may even be good enough to be printed on canvas.

With that in mind there are a few things you should avoid when taking photos to make sure you don’t fall into any common pitfalls.

1. Don’t stand your subjects in front a strong light source
   A common problem with many people’s photos is that they position their subjects in front of a strong light source, such as a window or the sun. This creates backlight, and means that the subject of the photos is too dark. This results in very little details being visible on the subject’s face.
2. Don’t turn your camera off and put it away at social gatherings
   A good photographer always has their camera with them. If your camera is switched off and has the lens cap on, you’re not ready to capture those moments of magic that happen when your friends and family get together. Be sure to have your camera with you, to hand, and ready to snap at a second’s notice or you’ll miss the best moments.
3. Don’t hesitate when taking photos
   Taking pictures should be second nature. If you take too long and try to compose the perfect shot you’ll miss the best moments. Take more pictures not less, particularly if you have a digital camera. You can always delete them later.