You should always strive for the sharpest photographs possible. You can always soften or add blur to your photographs later in the digital darkroom. It is almost impossible to recover sharpness if your original images are not sharp to start with.
Here are seven tips that will help you take sharper photographs every time:
1. Always use a tripod when possible
I know tripods are heavy, they take a long time to setup, and they can be expensive, but it’s nearly impossible to get sharp photographs without one when shooting in lower lighting situations. Any photograph with a deeper depth of field requires an f stop of f/11 to f/22. These f stops require longer exposure times. A good rule of thumb is always use a tripod when your shutter speed is equal or longer than the focal length of the lens you are using.
2. Enable your mirror lockupNormally, the mirror in your Digital SLR will flip up immediately before the shutter opens, and this can cause your camera to vibrate a little. By locking your mirror up prior to your exposure you will avoid any camera shake or vibration.
Enabling mirror-lockup will add a significant pause between the time the mirror goes up and the shutter opens, letting any vibration die down before the photo is actually taken. Look in your camera’s manual to find out how to enable this feature.
3. Use a remote shutter release to avoid camera shake
The less you touch your camera, the less it will shake. When you press the shutter button on your camera to take a photo, there’s a good chance you’ll shake the camera a little.To prevent this, use a remote control to release the shutter, or you can just use the timer on your camera. I recommend a bulb type, air release, or an electronic remote shutter release. Cable style releases will work if you press them gently.
4. Use the fastest shutter speed possibleWhen you increase your shutter speed, you leave the shutter open for a shorter length of time, so there’s less time available for the camera to shake. I usually like to underexpose just a little to get good saturation and to ensure I capture all the highlights.
5. Use manual focus whenever possibleAutofocus is great for moving subjects or when you need to take photos quickly, but when your subject is stationary, for example a landscape or pictorial you should always try to use manual focus. This ensures you’re focusing on the right subject, at the proper distance.
For macro photography, manual focus is the only way to get sharp photos. Autofocus just doesn’t work very well at closer distances.
6. Shoot a lot of photographs
When shooting wildlife or any kind of fast moving subject, the best way to get a super sharp photo is to take as many photographs as possible.
Digital exposures are free. There are no film costs involved. So take advantage of digital film, and shoot as many exposures as necessary to get the results you are looking for.
7. Use the sweet spot of your lens
Most lenses are sharpest in their middle ranges. For example, if your 28 to 100 mm zoom lens has a speed of f/4.5, then you’ll probably get the sharpest results from using f/8 to f/11 and zoomed at 55 to 65 mm. Very rarely are lenses as sharp on their fringe or outer area. Also, a fixed focal length lens will always sharper than any zoom lens.
Get more tips and a FREE sample of "Mastering Digital Photography Made Easy" and you'll be using that digital camera like a pro in no time.
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