Take sharper shots

Soft images are the result of poor focusing and camera shake. Follow our four simple steps for pin-sharp perfection

Great shots with superb composition and perfect metering can be easily totally ruined by a lack of sharpness. Fortunately, making sure that your shots are consistently sharp is relatively easy if you follow a few simple rules…

Great shots with superb composition and perfect metering can be easily totally ruined by a lack of sharpness.

Fortunately, making sure that your shots are consistently sharp is relatively easy if you follow a few simple rules. Use our simple four-step guide and you’ll be a real sharp shooter and you need never bin another blurry shot…

1. Use a tripod whenever possible

Our number one rule is to always use a tripod if you think you‘re going to be shooting at shutter speeds lower than your lens‘ focal length (so / 25 sec for a 00mm lens). Yes it‘s a bit of a hassle but it‘s worth it. Don‘t raise the centre column, or your tripod will effectively turn into a less stable monopod.

2. Shutter speed is essential

Selecting the correct shutter speed and aperture combination is vital. Use Shutter Priority mode and start with a minimum shutter speed of around / 25 second. If it‘s still too dark, bump up the camera‘s ISO setting so you can stick to a faster range of shutter speeds. If your camera has a mirror lock setting, then switch that on too.

3. Brace it!

If it‘s not possible to use a tripod, look for a natural camera rest instead. Brace yourself against a pillar, tree or wall and tuck your arms into your chest while controlling your breathing. Make sure you press the shutter in a smooth movement – don‘t jab it.

4. Stabilisation

If your camera has image-stabilisation feature then switch it on. Stabilisation means you can shoot at slower shutter speeds while reducing the risk of camera shake. Remember, though, image stabilisation won‘t reduce any blur caused by people moving in the shot.

Posted on Friday, July 10th, 2009 at 2:26 pm under Photography Tutorials.

Tags: basic photography skills, camera skills, Field Skills, photography tips, sharpening, shutter speed, tripods