Many people wonder why their photos don’t look as good as professionals, even when they have a top quality camera. The simple fact is that there are common mistakes that amateurs and professionals alike make at times. Here are a few photography tips on those mistakes and how to avoid them.Red-Eye – Nothing is worse than receiving your pictures and noticing that over half of them have the dreaded red-eye in them, ruining all the best shots. This is the most common mistake that can be prevented by paying attention to lighting. Taking a picture in dim or dark settings will cause the light from the flash to reflect off the eyes of your subject. The light illuminates the blood vessels in the retina giving the eye a red glow. To avoid this happening, first decide if the flash is necessary. If it is, instruct the subject to not look directly into the camera lens.Another problem is losing the focal point of a picture. This is common when taking family pictures and then trying to fit too much in the picture. The family members seem to get lost among the scenery and background of the photo. To prevent this you have to first decide just what the focal point is of the picture, once that is determined you need to get as close as you can to the subject and zoom in till it is perfect.Ever feel that you have captured the perfect picture only to see that it was blurry when developed? This is common when the camera moves or shakes at the time you snap the picture, sometimes it is because the shutter lags. The best solutions is using a tripod, if that isn’t an option, then support yourself against something solid so you can hold the camera steady easier. If shutter lag is the problem, prevent this by holding the shutter bottom halfway down. When you feel the time is right, then press it the rest of the way to take your picture.Under and over exposed pictures are common problems that cause many otherwise great photos to be not so great. The amount of light that passes through the cameras lens is the exposure. When not enough light is passing through, the photo is then underexposed. It appears dark making it hard to see details. When too much light passes through, the photo is then too bright. It washes out the subjects and creates harsh shadows.Under exposure is usually caused by not enough light for the photo to be taken properly. But shutter speed and being too far away from the subject are other causes for this. When taking pictures inside, try to be near a window or have some extra lighting on. Make sure you stand as close as possible and if needed, adjust the shutter speed manually so it slows down.Overexposure – This usually occurs when a photo is taken outdoors, especially on sunny days. Too much light is cause of this problem and to fix this, have the subjects stand in the shade if possible. Also, use the flash on the camera to help even out the lighting and eliminate the shadows. The best time for outdoor photography is when it is overcast.To become a good photographer, a lot of practice is needed. But no matter how good you are, not every photo you take will be perfect. Even professionals run into problem photos and make simple mistakes. These photography tips can help you take better pictures by avoiding the common mistakes. But mistakes will happen and instead of throwing a picture away, try to fix it first in one of the many programs available today.