7 Composition Mistakes Every Photographer Makes

Everyone makes mistakes, whether your a beginner or a seasoned professional. The goal is to practice and to make fewer of them as you advance in your career. In today's video, I go over 7 common portrait composition mistakes.
This video was shot with a
Canon Cinema EOS C70 amzn.to/3vkvy7X
and a Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM amzn.to/3cYH6VB
in Long GOP 4k and Canon C-Log2
Music: Evolution by Bensound bensound.com/

[@alesdanekshadow]

It was great as always. Thank you,

[@JohnGress]

Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@nilofido411]

👍👍👍

[@JohnGress]

Thanks Nilo!

[@themoment237]

Thank you for your lessons

[@JohnGress]

My pleasure! I hope it helps.

[@lkfs55]

Also your lighting books are great!!

[@JohnGress]

Thank you so much! That’s great to hear!

[@MultiGaspasser]

Excellent video.

[@JohnGress]

Thank you very much!

[@Neopulse00]

0:48 - That long pause made me chuckle a bit as you were searching for the appropriate euphemism 😄

[@JohnGress]

Pregnant pause for humility 😁

[@lim2001burger]

Great video as always :) also you look great in green!

[@JohnGress]

Thank you so much!

[@mrezahghorbani670]

Valuable

[@JohnGress]

Thank you 🙏🏼

[@Fifthimagez]

Amazing tips John your awesome!!

[@JohnGress]

Thank you so much Chris!

[@robertbirnbach2312]

it can be so subjective, the ice doesn't bother me in fact I think it adds interest and in a way helps direct the eye back to the subject. every rule is meant to be broken the key is understanding why and when to break the rules :)

[@JohnGress]

Yes, you have to be conscientious of the rule first, then break it.

[@luisarevalo6112]

Great video! Working on 2 and 4-6. From processing I'm managing 7 better, and from my art painting day 1 and 3 were a "must know". Glad your video refreshed everything to keep in focus as/when I shoot!

[@JohnGress]

Thanks Luis! We’re all growing as we go.

[@lkfs55]

Thanks John. Good info. Some is artistic choice as you said. I agree with you though on the cropping at joints and the marina shot. Lots going on. We all have those. 😁 For the focus in studio I had that problem with a dog shoot where the dogs eyes and face were tact sharp but his body was not so I had to reshoot moving from f2.8 to f8

[@JohnGress]

I think we have all been there using the wrong DOF at the wrong time. I did a hair shoot at 5.6 for optimal sharpness but I failed to get my subject, the hair, in fine focus.

[@outtathyme5679]

Get tips. One thing: I feel like if you’re at a marina or other nice setting, you don’t want to obliterate the background

[@JohnGress]

Well that is true. There is a balance between setting and distraction. I should have explained that.

[@KeysPete1]

Hi John. This was a good upload for everybody! Trying to start my path in portrait photography now, I have made pretty much all these mistakes. Cropping is probably my biggest issue. I try not to crop on the joint and most of the time it works but sometimes I lose the composition and that's painstaking. Story here and don't laugh. I'm photographing a story of nurses, doctors etc... that worked during the pandemic and one of the nurses had the most ridiculously large breasts. I could not keep the same crop as everybody else because her face would not have been the first thing people would noticed! 😂. Anyway slowly building up my portfolio now and will book a half hour session with you when done. Take care fella and look forward to the next upload. Your friend from across the pond

[@JohnGress]

Thanks Mate! Rules can be broken but we have to know the rules. Perhaps #8 should be the largest round thing in your frame should be the subjects head ;)