Updated October 13, 2026
The most common photography mistakes are using the wrong ISO, a shutter speed that is too slow, boring framing, cropping too much, bad exposure, standing too far away, facing your subject into the sun, and a crooked horizon. I’m Katie Donnelly, a Paris photographer, and each of these has a quick fix.
What You’ll Find in This Blog:
- 1. You’re Using the Wrong ISO
- 2. Your Photos Are Not Sharp Enough
- 3. Your Framing Is Bad
- 4. You Crop, a Lot
- 5. Underexposing or Overexposing
- 6. The Subject Is Too Small or Too Big
- 7. Your Shot Is Boring
- 8. Your Subject Is Facing the Bright Sun
- 9. You Are Not Using the Golden Hour
- 10. Your Horizon Is Crooked
- Photography Mistake Questions
- Ready to Book Your Paris Photoshoot?
So, you’ve done a little research and bought a nice camera. Go you! And yet, for some reason, your photos aren’t coming out at all like you’d hoped.
1. You’re Using the Wrong ISO
Keep it as low as possible, that way you’ll avoid noise (which does NOT look pretty!). Don’t know what ISO is? Head over to my post on ISO.
1/640 sec at f / 2.5, ISO 100
2. Your Photos Are Not Sharp Enough
Your photographs are not sharp enough, despite the autofocus. It’s possible that your shutter speed isn’t fast enough. From 1/100 + should give you a sharp result. If you’re photographing a portrait, focus on the eyes. Don’t know what shutter speed is? Head to my post on shutter speed.
3. Your Framing Is Bad
It’s important to create something interesting for the eye, to have the urge to keep looking at the picture. If you want to avoid the boring straight-on picture, look at it from different angles! Read more about composition and framing.
TRY INTERESTING ANGLES – 1/1000 sec at f / 1.8, ISO 100
4. You Crop, a Lot
Instead of cropping after taking your photos, use your body to move in closer to your subject, it’ll create a better shot in-camera without you having to do any work afterwards. Here is why: what are megapixels.
5. Underexposing or Overexposing
Your photos are too light or too dark. Even if you think you’ll be able to fix your photos in Photoshop it’s still not entirely fixable. Try your best to get your ideal photos in camera rather than correcting them after. Watch out for your shutter speed, make sure it’s not tooooooo fast, even if it’s a very sunny day.
UNDEREXPOSED
CORRECTLY EXPOSED – 1/320 sec at f / 1.8, ISO 100
OVEREXPOSED
6. The Subject Is Too Small or Too Big
Don’t be lazy! Get up and go a few steps closer/further to take that picture!
7. Your Shot Is Boring
7. Your shot is boring. Try using depth of field (by playing with the aperture), and looking for possible dynamic compositions. Lacking inspiration? An incredible photographer for composition is David Alan Harvey.
Read what is aperture to learn how to play with depth of field.
8. Your Subject Is Facing the Bright Sun
Avoid photographing portraits when your subject has their eyes to the bright sun. Place your subject with their back towards the sun or in the shadow, that way you won’t have anyone squinting and making uncomfortable faces in your photos! A great alternative if you’re shooting in direct sunlight is to have your subjects looking at each other.
LOOKING AT EACH OTHER – 1/4000 sec at f / 1.4, ISO 100
BACKLIT – 1/500 sec at f / 2.5, ISO 100
9. You Are Not Using the Golden Hour
If you want to have that extra pretty soft lighting, wait until sundown. The golden hour (the hour after sunrise and before sunset) is always beautiful to photograph with and will mostly give you a nice result. It is why the best time of day for a Paris photoshoot is just after sunrise.
10. Your Horizon Is Crooked
Do not forget to check if your horizon is straight. This is a SUPER simple way to get better photos! More in straighten up your photos.
CROOKED HORIZON
STRAIGHT HORIZON – 1/1600 sec at f / 3.5, ISO 100
Are you making some of these mistakes? Do you have any more to add? By using these quick fixes your photos will be SO much better without really trying =] Share your new photos with me over on Instagram in #TheAuthenticPortrait series, a series for learning and growing in photography. Don’t forget to tag your photos with #TheAuthenticPortrait!
This lesson is part of The Authentic Portrait: A Parent’s Guide to Documenting Childhood, my photography guide for parents who want to learn the basics and take better photos of their kids, without spending hours and hours taking classes. I am working on a new edition of the guide. Until it is ready, you can read every lesson in The Authentic Portrait series.
Always the one behind the camera?
Hand it over for a morning. Our English-speaking team photographs families in Paris, so you are in the photos too. Sessions start at €150, and you see your photos the same day in our Saint-Germain studio.
Or first see how a Paris photoshoot with us works.
Photography Mistake Questions
Your shutter speed may not be fast enough. From 1/100 and faster should give you a sharp result. For portraits, focus on the eyes.
They are underexposed or overexposed. Try to get the exposure right in camera, because it is not entirely fixable afterwards.
Behind your subject, or put your subject in the shade. If they face the bright sun, they will squint.
The hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset, when the light is soft and beautiful.
Try different angles, move closer, play with depth of field, and look for dynamic compositions.
About the author
Katie Donnelly, Paris Photographer
Katie Donnelly is an American photographer who opened her Paris studio in 2013 and was voted Best Portrait Photographer in Paris in 2017. She and her English-speaking team photograph families, couples and solo travelers at sunrise, so visitors go home with relaxed, real portraits instead of rushed selfies. Meet Katie and the team.
Ready to Book Your Paris Photoshoot?
You take the everyday photos. Let us take the ones with you in them.
- When: Mornings, just after sunrise, when the city is quiet
- Who: Families, couples, engagements and proposals, and solo travelers, with an English-speaking team
- Your photos: Viewed the same day at our studio in Saint-Germain-des-Prés
- Session fee: From €150. Inquire for our full price list.
Tell us your dates and we will help you plan the rest.
Or first see how a Paris photoshoot with us works.
