How To Get Tack Sharp Digital Photos

The most important ingredient for a fantastic picture is for it to be in sharp focus.  Even the slightest blur takes away from the picture, no matter how good the subject, lighting and color.

 

Photographers have somewhat varying opinions on what constitutes a tack sharp picture, but generally, a tack sharp photograph has good, clean lines.The picture will have clear definition, instead of being blurred.

 

There are several things you can do to increase your chances of getting that coveted tack sharp picture.

 

Hand-Held Digital Photography Tips

 

If you’re hand-holding your camera, brace your arms against your sides to help steady the camera.  If your camera has anti-shake technology such as Vibration Reduction (VR) or Image Stabilization (IS) lens that can be switched on and off, this is the time to have it turned on.

 

You can also lean against a wall or tree or whatever sturdy object that’s handy, and help keep yourself and your camera steady.Putting you camera against or on some readily available sturdy object will also help steady the camera.

 

Steadying your camera by hooking the strap under your elbow and wrapping the rest around your forearm will also help stabilize the camera and hold it steady in your hand.

 

Getting those tack sharp photos while hand-holding your camera can be difficult, so to increase your chances of getting that perfect shot, use the burst or continuous shooting mode on your camera to take several shots at once.At least one picture should be in sharp focus when you’ve taken a whole series of shots.

 

Tripods For Better Focus

 

There’s no getting around the fact that it’s easier to get a tack sharp photo using a tripod.A person just can't keep a camera as still and steady as a tripod does.  And like most things in life, with a tripod you get what you pay for.Cheap tripods are helpful, but won't hold the camera as stil as a more expensive tripod does.To get the best results, buy the best tripod you can reasonably afford.

 

The more expensive tripods don’t come with the head attached.This had to be bought separately, but that way you get to choose what you want.Buy a good quality ballhead for your tripod. It will keep your camera firmly in place, so yoru picture will stay sharply in focus.

 

If you’re somewhere that carrying a tripod just won’t work, beanbags make a nice cushion for cameras in these settings.A beanbag will cushion your camera, and help keep it steady. The beanbag also increases your ability to situate your camera to focus on your subject.

 

To improve your chances of a tack sharp photo even more, use a cable release instead of pressing the shutter.  It may not seem like much, but the movement from pressing the shutter will make the camera move enough to prevent getting those tack sharp photos.

 

If you don’t have a cable release, the self timer will also work.This means when you press the shutter, the camera has time to stabilize before it actually takes a picture.

 

More Advanced Digital Photography Secrets For Sharp Shots

 

If you have a digital SLR camera, there are even more ways to make sure your camera stays steady while taking pictures.

 

The first is to use mirror lock-up.The camera's mirror is locked in the up position. Thus when you take a picture the mirror doesn't move until after the picture is taken, and that limits the movement inside the camera.You have to press the shutter release button twice on the cable release or remote to take a picture (you surely aren't going to all this trouble and still pressing the shutter release on your camera are you?).  The first press lifts the mirror and the second press actually takes the picture.

 

The second method is to turn off the Vibration Reduction or Image Stabilization.It may sound backwards, but once the camera is stabilzed with a tripod and other methods, the vibration reduction keeps looking for any shaking.Vibration reduction can actually cause some shaking by looking for movement that isn't there.A good rule to follow is to keep these turned off when using a tripod, and only use them when you’re hand-holding the camera.

 

One last way to increase the sharpness of your pictures is to have good glass.The lens makes a big difference.Like so many things, you get what you pay for. A quality lens with good glass is expensive, but worth it.Consider it an investment in great photography.

 

Use as many methods as you can to steady your camera, and you’ll have a much better chance of getting those lovely tack sharp photographs. 

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