Don't try to copy the style of others is another truism offered to budding photographers.

Why not? Isn't copying the highest for of flattery? Although there is a sentiment within the arts to always try to be unique and individualistic, this comment fails to understand that copying the work of other artists will help you better understand your own thinking process as well as theirs. Perhaps one of the most valuable lessons out there IS to copy other photographers. Through this process, you will begin to develop your own point of view and your own style.

Don't ignore bad photos they can teach you.

You will find the best photos in the least likely places, or so the saying goes.This adage

Although there is a time and a place for everything, under or over exposing all of your images all of the time is probably not necessary (see previous post). The question is, if you had to choose, would it be better to over or under expose your digital image? Although there is some debate on this issue, it's probably better to over rather than under expose an image. The digital media tends to hold more information in the bright areas than in the dark areas. Also when you brighten a dark image, it tends to look milky. You will have fewer problems darkening a bright image.

Join us for a private Photoshop class and we'll show you how to enhance your images in post!

Grainy photos are better than blurry ones is another common adage that makes its way around photography discussions.

This is not true in all cases. What if you want blur to show motion? What if you want to show something abstractly through the use of blurred fields of color? In these instances grain is not better than blur. So just do what looks right and not what others tell you is right.

It is curious to think about how the use of the words "horizontal" and "vertical" in photography and other print media is