What (Photographically) do you wish you'd done differently?

PupatorPupator Registered Users Posts: 2,322 Major grins
edited July 15, 2009 in The Big Picture
I couldn't find a similar thread here on DGrin (someone point me to it if it exists) but it's a question that has been batted about on another photo forum I frequent for quite a while. The result have been some great tips for folks just getting started and also for those who've been at it for a while.

There are a few different ways to ask the question -
What's been your biggest mistake in photography? or
If you could start all over what would you do differently? or
What's your biggest regret?

I'm looking forward to hearing from you guys - but here's mine:

My biggest regret is that when I started I thought it was more important to have lenses that covered all the ranges than to just have one really great lens. Instead of having great equipment over a limited range I opted for limited equipment over an unnecessarily broad zoom range.

This was a mistake. First, because it doesn't matter how hard you beat a mule, you can't turn him into a racehorse. I have images that aren't as good as they should be because of the quality of glass I used.

But secondly (more important), I would have grown more as a photographer if I'd been forced to start with, say, a 28-70G. I would have been learning how to get the shot without the benefit of an 18-300 instead of spending my time learning how to compensate for crummy glass. Thus I would have been learning lessons that transfer to other lenses (good or bad) rather than spending my time learning to overcome limitations of crummy glass.

Comments

  • mercphotomercphoto Registered Users Posts: 4,550 Major grins
    edited July 15, 2009
    Pupator wrote:
    If you could start all over what would you do differently?
    Really learn the business side. I didn't do that anywhere near well enough before I started to try and sell images.
    Bill Jurasz - Mercury Photography - Cedar Park, TX
    A former sports shooter
    Follow me at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjurasz/
    My Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/mercphoto?ref=hdr_shop_menu
  • Cygnus StudiosCygnus Studios Registered Users Posts: 2,294 Major grins
    edited July 15, 2009
    Biggest mistake? Stretching myself too thin.

    If I could start over? Line up good quality 2nd shooters first.

    Biggest regret? Not doing this earlier.
    Steve

    Website
  • Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited July 15, 2009
    My biggest regret is having taken a hiatus from shooting as a pro....to try and fix family problems......Now I am rebuilding what I lost by being gone.....and having to learn what I should of already known.......I am way behind the curve....:D:D:D
    "Genuine Fractals was, is and will always be the best solution for enlarging digital photos." ....Vincent Versace ... ... COPYRIGHT YOUR WORK ONLINE ... ... My Website

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