We know what photographers should do, but what about what you should not do or spend too much time on?  Here is my list of  17 things photographers should not do:

Do not …

1.  Spend too much time thinking about your gear.  Equipment is important, but it is not the core of photography.  It will not make you a better photographer.  Photographing makes you a better photographer.

2. Leave your camera at home.  Always have a camera handy.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve missed great opportunities due to a little laziness.

3. Photograph using the same techniques every time.  Your work will stagnate —  a sure sign you are not growing as a photographer.

4. Ignore the value of your copyright.  If your copyrights are not valuable, why are people working so hard to get them?

5. Take every assignment.  Every photographer has a few specialities.  Just because a job is offered to you doesn’t mean you should take it. It’s about your reputation.

6. Do everything yourself.  Hiring the right people to support you makes you look better.  Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.  Focus on your photography.

7. Fail to create an And.  Photographers need to separate themselves from the competition to survive.

8. Ignore the math.  Are your expenses higher than your income? (You can’t make it up in volume).

9. Forget to plan in advance.  The more you plan ahead and prepare yourself, your team and equipment, the more successful the assignment or outing.

10. Ignore blogging.  Blogging helps people get to know you on a deeper level as a photographer. It is also great for search engine optimization.

11. Ignore social media. Social media is one of the best ways to share your images with the world.

12. Place sensitive photographs on the web.  If you fear a photograph will be shared improperly or stolen for  use on the Web, don’t post it.

13. Ignore other lens options.  Don’t get too used to your favorite lens.

14. Forget your tripod.  As much I don’t like using a tripod, it’s important for certain types of photography.  You never know when you might need it.

15. Think you can fix everything in Photoshop.  Photoshop is  great tool but you need to start with great photography; it cannot fix everything.

16. Believe you don’t need Photoshop skills.  Today most images need some sort of correction or enhancement.

17. Stop learning.  The day you feel you know everything about photography is the day your photography begins to decline.

What would you add?

Arpad