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Seven photo killing flaws (2)
By Uncle Frank
Titled Horizons
A tilt of as little as half a degree in the horizon can throw a fine landscape out of kilter. That's why pro landscape photographers buy expensive tripods that have built-in levels. Digital editing programs make it much easier, since there are leveling tools built into them. Make checking for a level horizon a top priority. If you don't, it will be one of the first things you'll hear about.
Bad Backgrounds
Trees growing out of people's heads, bright objects drawing attention away from the subject, blown highlights... the list is never ending. The fact is, the background will account for 50% of the grade your picture gets. It's so important that I compose for the background first, and then figure out how to insert the subjects into it.
Direct Flash in People Pictures
Skin, eyes, lips, and teeth are all reflective surfaces. Fire a flash directly at them, and you'll have a maze of distracting harsh highlights and shadows. A camera's internal flash is like a half-sized spare tire useful only in emergencies. For quality results, use natural light or buy an external flash than works in bounce mode.
Over-Sharpening
The Unsharp Mask is both wonderful and the most destructive filter in your toolkit. It's often misused in attempts to correct camera shake or misplaced focus. In that mode it's great for creating ugly halos at the edges of objects, and crunchy skies. Better not to use it at all than to over-apply it.
