I chanced upon this while doing a search in yahoo! somehow I think the word 'mistakes' is not appropriate.
Take a look
High ContrastHigh contrast can give a moody feeling to a photo but don't get addicted to the effect. If you use it on every single photo you have, the definition of the effect will be ruined.
Noticable VignettesVignettes are a great way of focusing attention but too much of it can be obvious.
Black and WhiteHave a purpose for taking black and white photos. It can make many images look better but it doesn't mean you should use it on all your photos. Use it for a reason. For example, nude photographers often use black and white to emphasize the form of the body and to add elegance.
HalosHalos are more noticable than many think and they're often an indicator of sloppy photo retouching. The most common type of halos are caused by unprecise dodging and burning and strong modifications with the Shadows/Highlights tool in Photoshop.
Deep Blue SkiesBlue skies are nice, but skies that are too deep look fake.
Mist, Morning Glow, Soft Light, etc There's many words for this effect and that's because it's overly used. Many Photographers can identify this effect and this effect is somewhat of a cliché. Use this effect sparingly.
In case you're wondering, here's how to apply this effect in Photoshop:
1. Duplicate the layer with the photo.
2. Change the blending mode of the new layer to Soft Light.
3. Apply a Gaussian Blur (Filter> Blur> Gaussian Blur).
No Subject The first thing people ask after looking at this photo is, "What is this photo telling me?". Keep the subject obvious.
Is it a bird? Or is it a plane?The photographer of this photo may know what it is, but everyone else won't.
Long Exposure StreaksThey look cool and they're fun to shoot but make sure there's an artistic purpose for using it.
