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Make the mistake again.

Those four words, often repeated by a teacher I worked with, unlock our understanding of how we learn photography, especially in manual exposure mode.

And they also encourage our open-mindedness about what we intended to do and what we wound up with as a picture.

If we're open-minded, our "mistakes" can lead to a compositional outcome that we didn't intend but find interesting enough to duplicate when appropriate.

This is because when we're learning photography and don't yet understand the relationship between camera operation, composition, and light, a surprisingly successful composition doesn't fit our intended composition.  

A mistake can lead to deepening our understanding of photography and additional techniques.

For example, I made a mistake worth repeating when I photographed an assignment given by a teacher to communicate "age."

I was in a park photographing an older man and a young child playing chess, using a slow shutter speed of around 1/30.

While I made the exposure, a bicyclist wearing brightly colored clothing sped between the chess players and me.

To say the least, I was annoyed.

I made another picture without anything getting between the chess players and myself, so I had the picture I wanted.

When I finally saw the final images, I liked the "mistaken" image exponentially more than my intended picture.

The bicyclist speeding by appeared as a blur of colors that were not solid.

I could see through the blur and still see the chess players playing the game.

When critiquing the picture in class, I also showed my intended composition and explained that I felt the unintended blur added a visual element that communicated the passage of time.

When allowing ourselves to do things that might not work, we often discover the things that do.

If we're open-minded, a mistake can lead us to become better photographers by deepening our understanding of photography and showing us additional creative techniques.

Our open-minded approach to the outcome of our mistakes and our curiosity in trying things we're not sure may work may lead to techniques we can incorporate into our work.

Then, we can intentionally repeat them to deepen the visual interest of our work.
 

The Introduction To Photography class starts soon. 
  
More ways to study and practice photography with me are below.

Call me if you need help determining the best course for you.

I'll help you be a better photographer—study and practice photography with me. 

Currently scheduled classes are below.

Smaller classes mean better learning, so class sizes are limited to 5 participants plus me.

But smaller classes also mean spots fill up quicker, so sign up soon. 

And what if the timing doesn't work for you in any of my scheduled group classes? Private in-person lessons suited to your schedule are always an option.

And remember, we learn and improve by doing, so practice making at least one picture daily.