I’ve heard too many new photographers telling me that they were often frustrated with blurry photographs being captured. They did not know what the reasons were, nor were they able to resolve this issue effectively.

We always understand that knowing the source a of problem can help in problem solving. In this article, I am going to share with you some key reasons that cause blurry photographs. After helping you better understand the problem, I will go on to share how to capture sharp photographs like a professional photographer.

“***” captured by Serjio. (Click image to see more from Serjio.)

Focus Settings:

One of the common reasons for blurry photographs is having a wrong focusing point. It is important that you know exactly where to focus before composing the frame and pressing the shutter button. For example, when photographing portraits, professional photographs will typically focus on the model’s eyes. It is very important that your model’s eyes are sharp and in focus in the photographs. This is especially so if you are using a wide aperture where depth of field is shallow.

Instead of using matrix focusing, 51 point focusing or other fanciful technology, I strongly recommend using single point focus. It must be the photographer telling the camera where to focus, rather than having the camera make this important decision for us.

Although technology advances in leaps and bounds, a camera’s intelligence is still unable to read a human’s mind. The camera will not know exactly where or which area in the frame we want to focus on. Therefore, always reserve the rights to make this important decision yourself.

Setting a Fast Enough Shutter Speed:

Another key reason causing blurry photographs is having a shutter speed that is too slow. A slow shutter speed will likely cause “camera shake”, especially when you are holding the camera without any sturdy support.

The general rule of thumb to prevent “camera shake”, is to have the denominator of the shutter speed 1.5 times greater than the focal length. In other words, if your focal length is 50mm, your shutter speed shall be at least 1/80 seconds to avoid blurry photographs. If your focal length is at 100mm, your shutter speed shall be at 1/160 seconds or faster.

Using a Tripod:

The other get around is using a tripod for enhanced stability. This technique is good for landscape photography or photographing static objects. Pressing the shutter button may potentially cause “camera shake” too. As such, it is a good habit to use a remote shutter or camera’s self-timer when your camera is mounted on a tripod.

“Macro” captured by Trek. (Click image to see more from Trek.)

Firmly Holding the Camera:

When not using a tripod, ensure you are holding your camera using the correct technique. If you are holding your camera to shoot, your left hand acts as a support and your right hand serves to adjust the settings and press the shutter button.

With the above information, I am sure you now understand who the main culprits for blurry photographs are. More importantly, you know how to resolve the problem. With that, what are you waiting for? Grab your camera, start shooting, and have fun!

About the Author:
Yong Sak is a passionate Singapore Freelance Photographer who enjoys taking photographs and sharing his knowledge on photography. He owns a Photography Portal which houses many Basic Photography Fundamentals which are essentials for those who are new to photography and are hungry for more information.
Go to full article: How to Avoid Blurry Photos

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Article from: PictureCorrect Photography Tips