10 Photography Myths You Should No Longer Believe

In photography, as in life, not everything is black and white. Yet, there are many rules and general guidelines that seem to be blindly accepted by both amateur and experienced photographers. Most of us have fallen for one or more photography myths at some point, especially in the beginning, when we follow every piece of advice from the seemingly most experienced photographers.

From the gear you should own to the content you include on your photography website, we’ve selected ten of the most common misconceptions that photographers often cling to. Let’s uncover which of them are actually true and highlight the lessons we can learn from each myth.

1. Becoming a photographer is super easy

Taking a photo is easy, but being a photographer definitely isn’t. Anyone can press a camera button, but capturing a truly good and compelling image is a whole different story; it requires experience, skill, and dedication. The complexity behind photography is something that perhaps only photographers can fully understand, as most of the challenges involved in this profession go unnoticed by the untrained eye.

And that’s not even mentioning how difficult it is to run a photography business. Everyone seems to think you can make a living by taking a few photos on the weekends, but few stop to consider all the managerial skills, marketing efforts, and hours of editing that go into it.

2. A great photo requires expensive equipment

Just as buying an expensive piano won’t make you a great musician, spending a lot on a high-end camera won’t make you a great photographer.

As Ansel Adams said, “The most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.” While professional equipment provides more flexibility and consistent results, making the work easier, the final outcome ultimately comes down to the photographer’s skills and knowledge. Excellent photos can be taken with low-tech gear.

Before spending a fortune on that luxury camera or lens everyone’s talking about, make the most of your current equipment. Learn to master all its functions and features, and invest your money in expanding your knowledge. You don’t have to look far to find countless poor-quality photos taken with expensive gear, as well as stunning images captured with a smartphone.

3. Shoot as many photos as you can

Known as “spray and pray,” this technique assumes that taking thousands of consecutive shots will increase your chances of capturing that one stunning photo every photographer dreams of. This may sound like a good idea, but in reality, it usually results in a lot of uninteresting shots and much more post-processing work.

Limit yourself to a reasonable number of shots per day, as if you were shooting on film. Thinking carefully about each exposure will result in much better images and, of course, will take less time to review and process them.

4. You need a huge portfolio

You might be tempted to upload hundreds of images to your photography website so clients can see everything you do, but when it comes to showcasing your work, choose quality over quantity. Select only your best work in the genre or style you specialize in. In other words, don’t create a gallery of newborn photos if you’re aiming to be hired as a sports photographer.

No matter how cute those babies are! Clients don’t want to scroll through dozens of landscapes or portraits; they just want to see what you’re capable of. If you have a large portfolio, you can share additional photos on social media and link those channels to your website so visitors can explore more of your work if they’re interested.

5. Manual mode is always the best

“You’re not a real photographer unless you only shoot in manual mode.” Sound familiar? Here’s the catch: you should definitely learn to shoot in manual mode. It’s part of mastering your equipment and will drastically improve your technical skills. However, that doesn’t mean you should limit yourself to manual and avoid using any of your camera’s other settings.

Every scene and subject comes with a specific set of requirements, and sometimes that includes responding quickly to rapidly changing conditions. Don’t hesitate to switch to aperture priority or shutter priority if the situation calls for it — the best mode depends on each scenario.

6. Avoid shooting in poor lighting

“Poor lighting” is itself a myth — any light can be good light. So when people say, “I can’t shoot today because it’s rainy/cloudy/too sunny,” what they’re really saying is, “I’m not going to bother learning how to make the most of this weather.” Don’t view lighting conditions as a limitation; see them as a new challenge to further develop your photography skills.

For example, cloudy or foggy days are great for photographing landscapes and portraits due to the lack of harsh contrast. Want to shoot under the relentless midday sun? Focus on the shadows, shoot in shaded areas, or experiment with backlighting. If the sun is in front of you, look for interesting silhouettes.

7. Always keep the horizon straight

You’re probably thinking, “What?! This isn’t a myth! Keeping the horizon straight is essential!” And we agree. In most cases, the “Horizon Rule” applies, which states that the horizon should have no tilt and should be parallel to the top or bottom edge of the frame. But there are plenty of exceptions to this “essential” rule.

Horizontal lines stabilize a composition, which in some cases can reduce the sense of movement.

This is a big deal in sports and action photography, where capturing motion is a key element. These compositions can actually benefit from tilting the camera, as a diagonal horizon creates highly dynamic images that perfectly convey the energy and nature of the subjects.

8. Don’t place the subject in the center

The rule of thirds, the golden ratio, Fibonacci… all these guidelines are incredible tools for learning how to compose a great shot, but you shouldn’t be afraid to experiment with your compositions. And yes, that includes placing your subject in the center. Patterns and symmetry are part of nature and have strong visual appeal, so don’t miss the chance to capture a stunning shot just because you’re too focused on following the rules to the letter.

9. You must shoot with a tripod

A tripod can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Using one will have a major impact on the sharpness of your photos and will allow you to explore new perspectives, shutter speeds, and even genres. However, over-relying on it can have a negative effect on your work.

Sometimes, photographers tend to set up their tripod before planning the shot, which significantly limits their possibilities. In other cases, they simply leave the camera at home if they know they can't bring the tripod with them, missing many photo opportunities along the way. Don't be afraid to hand-hold your camera or use a wall or a rock when you don't have your tripod with you.

10 - Post-processing is a trap.

There is a widespread misconception that image post-processing was born with Photoshop, but in reality, it emerged hand-in-hand with photography itself, more than two centuries ago. In the beginning, photographers used a series of techniques to edit their images in the darkroom, including dodging and burning, scratching negatives, blurring, airbrushing, and coloring.

Most images require a bit of post-processing to reach their full potential, especially if you are shooting in RAW format (as you should be), where results tend to be quite flat. Those who claim that "everything looks good straight out of the camera" are likely shooting in JPG format, which means the image was processed automatically inside the camera. Post-processing is part of the digital photographic process, just as the darkroom is part of the analog photographic process. Just make sure not to over-process them!