Creating masterful images isn't innate. Granted, most people can recognize a beautiful picture when they see one, and some can even compose a stunning shot without receiving any formal training, but for the most part, filmmakers and DPs go through years of stumbling through their craft, making tons of mistakes, and providing the rest of us lessons on what not to do when we pick up a camera.

In this video from Aputure, you'll get to learn about five of the most common mistakes new cinematographers make, from capturing nothing but bokeh-licious shots to not using negative fill to add a little style and intrigue to your shots. Check it out below:

There are so many mistakes first-time DPs are going to make, ranging from the technical to the creative. I mean, I and every new shooter I ever met failed to properly expose, provide enough lead/headroom, or create an efficient and functional workflow for charging batteries and dumping footage. However, the five mistakes mentioned in the video will not only give you a good foundation upon which to build the rest of your cinematographic education but will also tip you off to some issues that aren't often talked about. (Nobody told me about using negative fill until I was out of film school, so...)

Here are Aputure's 5 cinematography mistakes:

  • Shooting wide open all the time
  • Not knowing your camera's native ISO
  • Only using 3-point lighting
  • Not using negative fill
  • Not being a rulebreaker

What are some mistakes you made as a new cinematographer and how did you avoid them? Let us know down in the comments.

Source: Aputure

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Cinematography & Cameras