Besides an improperly exposed photo, the other most common mistake beginning photographers (and sometimes the pros) make is not getting a photo that is in sharp focus. There are times when you may want to have an intentional blur in your photo – perhaps to show motion. But most of the time, the sharper your photo the better. The automatic exposure feature of your digital camera is often good enough to for a sharp photo. There are times, however, when you will want to take control of your camera’s settings to get an even better picture. Here are some tips to help you consistently take sharper photos.

1. Choose the right shutter speed – Shutter speed means how long the shutter of your digital camera stays open. It’s expressed as a fraction of a second, such as 1/30th or 160th or 1/400th. The slower the shutter speed, the longer the shutter is open, and the more likely your are to get a blurred picture. If your digital camera is in automatic mode, make sure the shutter speed the camera is showing is at least 1/125th. It’s very hard to do get a sharp photo at a slower speed. For moving objects, you’ll need a setting of at least 1/400th to stop the motion. If the auto mode is not showing a fast enough shutter speed, switch the camera to the shutter priority setting and set the shutter speed manually.

2. Choose the right aperture setting – The aperture setting is how wide the shutter opens when you take a short with your digital camera. It is a trade-off. If you increase the shutter speed to prevent blurring, the shutter must open wider to let in enough light because of the reduced time it is open. If the opening is larger for a faster shutter speed, the you may loose some depth of field, which is whether objects close to your and further away from you are in focus at the same time. To maximize depth of field, shoot with the slowest shutter speed that is appropriate to the situation. If you’re shooting an object that’s not moving, set a small aperture. But if you’re shooting a moving object, you may have to use a higher shutter speed. You may loose some depth of field, but this may not be a problem if the object you’re shooting is what’s really important in your photo and not what’s in the background also.

3. Minimize camera movements – If you know you’ll be in a situation where you’ll have to shoot under low light conditions with a slow shutter speed, use a tripod. You can also use a tripod on a sunny day to minimize camera moment to allow you to shoot with a small aperture and a slower shutter speed for greater depth of field. Most professional nature and landscape photos you see were done with a tripod.

4. Follow your object – If you’re shooting a moving object, try planting your feet solidly and bracing your arms tightly against your sides, and follow the moving object by turning your body. This can keep your subject in focus, although your background will be blurred.

Shutter speed is one of the most interesting adjustment to many photographers. A digital camera’s shutter speed allows you to freeze action or use motion blur to create many interesting and stunning visual effects. Shutter speed is dependent on the length of exposure and is expressed in fractions of seconds.

High shutter speed, eg 1/1000 of a second, can even freeze the fastest moving subjects. But there are several things to take note of. Below are 3 simple tips you can use when you are "playing" around with your digital camera shutter speed.

1. Bright Subject
For you to capture pictures with high shutter speed, your subject must be brightly lit. This is because with such speed, your digital camera can’t gather enough light in such a short timing for exposure. To overcome this problem, you can use a set to a higher ISO. But you need to be aware that noise will start getting into your shot if the ISO is too high.

2.Let Your Camera Focus On The Spot
Try to set up the shot so that your digital camera can focus on the spot where your subject is going to pass by. Such practice will enable you to concentrate on timing your subject’s approach. By doing this, you will have a higher and much better chance to trip your shutter at the right time.

3.Create Blurring Lines
If you are shooting a non-moving subject, you can swing your digital camera in a circular motion to create blurring lines or colors. Your photos can turn out to be visually stunning and abstract. To produce such effect, low shutter speeds (1/8 to 30 seconds) can be used. The use of a tripod may be necessary to avoid creating unintended blur.

Most middle to high end digital cameras allow you to adjust your shutter speed’s settings. Use them to your advantage and create better and more interesting photos. Different shutter speeds will have different effects on your pictures. Explore and enjoy it!

http://www.learndigitalphotographynow.com/