Wildlife and Adventure Photography – Episode Summary

Podcast: Wildlife and Adventure Photography
Host: Graham Elliott
Episode: 7 More Mistakes That Photographers Often Make
Date: February 5, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Graham Elliott continues his series on common mistakes made by wildlife and adventure photographers. Building on a previous episode (which covered the first six mistakes), Graham delves into seven additional pitfalls, offering practical advice and field-tested tips to help photographers avoid them. The episode emphasizes both technical fundamentals and creative approaches, balancing the mechanical aspects of photography with the artistry of the craft.

Key Discussion Points

1. Shooting in Auto Mode (00:56)

• Overview: Relying solely on auto mode can restrict creativity, as the camera does not understand the photographer’s intent.
• Advice: Learn to use manual, aperture priority, and shutter priority modes to take control of exposure, focus, and creative choices.
• Quote:

  “Auto is very, very restricting. Yes, you will get pretty much perfect exposure every time, more or less. But that's not really what photography is about, at least the photography I do.” — Graham (02:20)

• Additional Guidance: If unsure how to leave auto, seek structured courses to understand the exposure triangle.

2. Not Checking Settings (05:05)

• Overview: Many photographers forget to check or reset their camera settings before a shoot. This can lead to poor exposure, focus errors, or shooting with the wrong ISO.
• Practical Tips:
  • Do a test shot at the beginning of each session.
  • Be especially mindful when light conditions change rapidly, such as during golden or blue hour.
  • Double-check settings after moving environments (e.g., sunlight to tungsten light) to avoid color casts.
• Quote:

  “At the beginning of every shoot… just do a test shot. Look at the settings, make sure that you've got things where they need to be…” — Graham (06:13)

• Lesson: Exposure mistakes are often hard to fix in post-processing.

3. Overlooking Details (09:33)

• Overview: Neglecting small details such as dirty lenses or sensors can degrade image quality.
• Recommendations:
  • Service your camera regularly, especially after shooting in dusty environments.
  • Store gear in clean, dry conditions to prevent damage and fungus in lenses.
  • Before trips, especially “once in a lifetime” adventures, thoroughly practice composition and camera use.
• Quote:

  “It doesn't look very much, but it will just degrade the performance of the lens. So do remember to get your kit serviced periodically…” — Graham (11:14)

• Tip: Study the compositional work of others and practice several setups ahead of important shoots.

4. Rushing a Shot (14:34)

• Overview: Hastiness leads to missed moments or suboptimal images.
• Strategies:
  • Stay attentive and ready, but don’t be so rushed you forget to focus or frame properly.
  • Use burst mode to increase chances of capturing fleeting wildlife moments.
  • Consider wide shots for cropping flexibility in post-processing.
• Quote:

  “If you don't capture them, that might be it. And I've certainly experienced that where I missed a really good shot… It happens to all of us.” — Graham (14:54)

5. Lack of Storytelling (17:42)

• Overview: Images lacking a clear subject or context miss the opportunity to tell a compelling story.
• Advice:
  • Think like a visual storyteller—consider the whole frame, not just the subject.
  • Ensure every element of the image supports or contextualizes the subject.
  • Avoid distracting elements (e.g., “a tree growing out of [someone’s] head”).
• Quote:

  “The more you practice with that idea, the better you get at composition, at not having elements in the image that are distracting and don't support the subject…” — Graham (19:12)

• Tip: Start simple: a clear subject with supporting context is often enough to engage viewers.

6. Shooting in Low Resolution (22:34)

• Overview: Regularly shooting in low resolution, even for social media, can be problematic if you later want to print or crop the image.
• Suggestions:
  • Always shoot in RAW and at maximum resolution; you can always downsize later.
  • Be mindful of metadata, especially GPS information when photographing sensitive wildlife.
• Quote:

  “You want to shoot big an image as you can, even if you're shooting for social media, because it does give you the option to print… you might just get that shot… and you don't want that to be a low res jpeg…” — Graham (24:51)

• Warning: A once-in-a-lifetime moment shouldn’t be lost to low-quality settings.

7. Ignoring Post-Processing (26:43)

• Overview: Skipping post-processing can leave images flat and unremarkable. Graham outlines his four-stage process: Imagine, Capture, Post-Process, and Share.
• Advice:
  • Use post-processing to gently tweak contrast, exposure, or crop for better results.
  • Ethical considerations: Adjust only to match your vision or memory, not to mislead.
  • Distinguish “truthful” post-processing from deceptive editing or AI generation.
• Quotes:

  “The best photographs … are going to look a bit flat [out of camera] … when you pop them into post processing, what you find is you're sort of in the mid range of pretty much everything … and suddenly it will pop for you.” — Graham (27:03)
  “If your intention is to take the raw image that you've shot and just tweak it so that it looks as close as you can get it to your memory … then there is nothing wrong with that.” — Graham (28:26)

• Tip: Learn the basics of editing software—don’t be intimidated by advanced features you won’t use.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The camera doesn't know what you're trying to achieve.” — Graham (01:10)
• “[Post-processing]: the key thing is, what's your intent?” — Graham (28:22)
• “[Photography is] about all the processes associated with arriving at that final image.” — Graham (29:20)
• On “keeping things clean and serviced and all the rest of it. Give yourself the best chance you can and don't rush.” (29:34)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:00 – Introduction and the dangers of shooting in auto
• 05:05 – Importance of regularly checking settings and performing test shots
• 09:33 – Overlooking details: lens cleaning, sensor maintenance, practicing composition
• 14:34 – The risks of rushing shots and strategies to avoid missed moments
• 17:42 – Visual storytelling: clarity and context in photographic composition
• 22:34 – Risks of shooting in low resolution and managing file quality
• 26:43 – Post-processing essentials and ethical considerations

Episode Tone & Closing Thoughts

Graham’s approach is conversational, experienced, and supportive, emphasizing the joy and personal growth in photography alongside technical mastery. He encourages continuous learning, preparation, and self-reflection, stressing that memorable images are created—not just captured—through intent and awareness.

“If you get inspired by what you're shooting… that's the inspiration that keeps you going back, looking for more, looking for new ideas, trying things out…” — Graham (29:22)

For more tips, resources, or to join Graham’s courses, visit his website at www.ge.graphy and look under ‘Improve your photography’.

Next Episode: Tune in Friday for a new photography topic!