Capture Sharp Digital Images – 10 Basic Things

Getting crisp, sharp and clean images is not painless even in digital photography. It’s the desire of every photographer to click sharp and clean images without any imperfections. And the major reason behind these flaws is the mistake to hold a digital camera which causes blur and imperfect pictures. Peek-a-boo in this Photoshop tutorial but before that let me tell you the causes for lack of sharpness.

·         Bad Focus: The most common causes of lack of sharpness in pictures are poor focus. Sometimes you take wide of the mark object in focus or focus on the wrong part of the object which leads to un-sharp images. And sometimes selected aperture generates narrow DOF or image gets clicked too hurriedly without taking the object in focus.

·         Moving Object: Objects in motion get captured which makes an image look hazy. It is mostly common when shutter speed is too sluggish so apt adjustment of digital camera is required while taking shots.

·         Camera Shake: Due to hand or camera shake, picture gets blur. It usually relates to shutter speed or how much your camera is at a standstill. Consider buying a tripod to purge off this problem.

·         Noisiness: Noise means small dots i.e. pixels come out in low quality images which make an image look grainy. Take a quick glance on its effect by going close to your TV and you can clearly see tiny dots.

To get sharp images, here is the rundown of 10 basic things. Other than these, Photoshop, a photo editing software is also an option to smarten up a picture.

Perfectly Hold YourCamera

Blurry images are a result of camera shake or hand shake. While clicking, many times your hands shake which shakes the camera. And this shake happens when the shutter is open for that split second which blurs the clicked picture. To wander off this hitch, invest in tripod and relish haze free and sharp images. And if not tripod, hold back your camera with both hands, rest against some solid surface and take the shot.

Tripods

It is one of the best solutions to trim down the blur effect from your images. You might feel that it’s not always pragmatic but trust me, it works great for me. And to your surprise, you can carry it around on travel so it is worth investing in.

Image Stabilization

Latest cameras and lenses are launched with IS technology which reduces camera shake to a million bucks. Image stabilization gives you a facility of extra two or three stops which means slower shutter speeds while holding a camera. But guys don’t confuse it with object movement as it only gives you control over camera movement due to slower shutter speeds. And it is also not ideal for nomadic objects. 

Focus

Perhaps, to get sharp focussed images is possible only when camera focus is perfect. Many of us rely on Auto focussing and assume that camera is always right while clicking shots. But at times, camera gets misguided due to the location of object which throws the object out of focus. And here the need arises to hit the shots by switching on to manual mode. Check the shutter speed of the camera and focus of the lens before capturing any shot. If you don’t feel it right, try again with the shutter speed and camera focus.

Lens of the Camera

Obviously, quality and pricing of the camera lens do matters. It has a dire impact on the sharpness of an image and usually, DSLR camera holders notice the difference. I own a DSLR and I was on a hunt to buy everyday zoom lens to get wide and telephoto zoom capability. I bought one satisfying both the requirements and was quite contented with its features except sharpness. Then I switched over to professional series’ lens and I just couldn’t believe my eyes. The difference was so clearly perceivable and I was amazed to get that lens. Now I can capture crisp and sharp shots which were not possible in the previous lens. Now I am so much in love with the sharp images gifted by the professional lens that it has a permanent attachment in my camera.

Check your Eyes

Poor eye sight is also one of the reasons for un-sharp images. You find it tricky to focus on the object if you have poor eye sight so I would suggest you to get your eyes checked. Wear glasses and you will see a significant improvement in every area especially in photography where focus is required. Some cameras have dioptre which equips you to make a little adjustment in your view finder. Dioptre is perfect for poor eye sight folks and located next to your view finder as a small wheel.

Clean the Camera

You might have observed that windows, mirrors, tables get grimy due to dust and become translucent from transparent. There is not enough room for light to pass through due to the grime.  And after cleaning, they become crystal clear. So same is the case with your camera lens. Make sure that it is free from dirt and smudges before clicking any shot or else it will badly impact your pictures.

 Lens Sweet Spot

Aperture ranges set apart the sharpness of images. Lenses have spots which are sharper than others. While shooting, pull back a stop or two and here you go with crisp and clear shots. Avoid keeping your lens wide open while shooting pictures and one of the best things you will get this way is sharpness in images.

Shutter Speed

To get sharpness in your images, shutter speed plays a major role. Obviously, the faster shutter speed will reduce camera shake and the more movement will freeze up. And as a result, object movement and camera movement, both of the blur get reduced in one go.

Choose Shutter Speeds as:

·         For 50mm lens length, shoot at 1/60^th of a second.

·         For 100mm focal length, choose 1/125^th of a second.

·         For 200mm focal length, go for 1/250^th of a second or faster.

ISO

It has to deal with the noisiness of the images. Larger ISO, faster shutter speed and smaller aperture will give you noisy shots. Use ISO up to the value of 400 for enlarged images with less noise and for sharp images keep ISO as low as possible.

Aperture

Aperture deals with the focus of your images. Depth of field gets increased when you decrease the aperture value (increasing the number – up to f/20). It means that the area you want to focus comes in the picture including close and distant objects. Set the values opposite (let’s say f/4) and both background and foreground will go out of focus so exactness in the images are required.

This is all about you can do to make your images look sharp and crisp. In digital photography, you have to do apt settings in your camera to get refined and dazzling shots. Holda digital camera perfectly and then click the shots to achieve desired results. To spruce up a picture a bit, use Photoshop and here you go.

DESCRIPTION: Explore some causes of un-sharp images and basic things to add sharpness in your images. Stay tuned for more tutorials on digital photography.

Aperture in Digital Photography – Holistic View

In today’s article, I would like to put Aperture in the picture as it is one of the most important elements of digital photography.  Auto Mode has always been the first choice of folks due to the fact that this mode automatically adjusts the camera settings. Now you can manually set the exposure of every shot you take with CameraISO settings and Aperture. Mastering the art of ruling over aperture makes you a professional and creative photographer. So turn your attention towards this article and read further to get a better idea on what exactly the Aperture is. Let’s explore. 

Definition of Aperture:

Aperture entails the notch in the lens. Image sensor grabs hold of the object which you want to capture when the hole opens up by pressing shutter release button. Size of the hole is decided by the value of aperture. Measurement of aperture is done in f-stops. Photography tips help you in taking lovely and fine shots so I am explaining here with an example. 

F-stops are measured like f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/22 and as you move onto the next stop, the size of the lens opening gets twofold or gets half. The same technique applies for the shutter speed so it is very constructive point to keep in mind. Augmenting one value and lessening another let the same amount of light to get in the lens.

Relation of Depth of Field and Aperture

Aperture depends upon the depth of shots. Large depth of field shows that most part of the image get nearer in focus no matter its close or far from the camera lens. An aperture of f/16 will take both the background and foreground in the below shot.

 

Whereas this image is shot with f/1.8 aperture so it is somewhat bleary if you watch it carefully.

 Take a look at this one with wider aperture of f/1.2. In this image you can clearly see that the background is completely fuzzy and only the foreground object is in vision. For your expediency, small aperture is small DOF and vice versa.   

Go experimental and take shots with different aperture settings to get the hang of it. This way you will see the results clearly and the techniques of grabbing hold of aperture.  

Photography Tips for Small and Large Aperture

Read this section very carefully as it can be of great help to you in understanding Aperture.

For Landscape Photography: Set the aperture value to small aperture (large number). When you click any shot, the whole image will be captured including background and foreground like hills, mountains or other sceneries.

Portrait Photography: To capture an individual picture where you want to be centric towards the object only and not the surroundings requires large aperture (small number). It is to throw the background out of focus to take the foreground in focus only.

To conclude, large apertures draws the attention of everyone as the object is clearly distinguished from the background and vice versa. Hope you find this article handy and valuable to enhance your knowledge.

DESCRIPTION: Get some know-how about how to use Aperture in digital photography. Check out these easy methods and here you go with your first shot beautifully taken with Aperture settings. 

Approaches to Hold Back Aperture and Shutter Speed in Entry Level Point and Shoot Digital Camera

Thanks for turning your heads again to get knowledge on one more interesting topic. Aperture, ISO and shutter speed are the key elements of digital camera setting which equips you to change them manually. But now the dilemma is that point and shoot cameras don’t offer this rider. But don’t worry as after reading this article, you would get more control over the camera settings. Let’s explore how:

Go for an Advanced Camera

It might seem knotty to upgrade your camera or buy a new DSLR especially when you have taut pocket. But to get more control over your camera settings, it is essential to go for new camera. If it doesn’t appeals you, then you can trick your camera by upgrading to another point and shoot camera offering you more control over its settings. Manually changing the settings to control aperture and shutter speed is perfectly achieved in modern DSLRs.

DSLRs offer you to add types of lenses and control elements such as ISO, exposure and white balance etc. Moreover, shooting in full manual mode gives fine and sharp clicks.

Modern point and shoot cameras come with manual settings so you guys can buy cameras with aperture priority and shutter priority modes.

If you don’t have the budget to buy a new camera, second point will work for you. Stick on!!

Trick your Point and Shoot Camera

No matter digital cameras are designed with auto mode which give you full control over aperture and shutter speed. And depending upon the type of click and light situations, camera captures the image flawlessly. So here you need to trick the camera with your sense of photographytips and tricks.

You must know that point and shoot cameras are equipped with shooting modes like sports, macro, movie, portrait and landscape. If you are an adept photographer, you can easily ploy the camera by using modes in diverse photography situations and triggering different settings. 

·      ·         Shoot in portrait mode if you want shallow depth of field for your click. This mode will set wider aperture to shoot an image with fuzzy foreground and background.

          ·         Landscape mode works well for smaller aperture where whole of the image comes in focus. It is used for wider depth of field.

      ·      To freeze fast moving objects, go for sports mode as this mode goes well with faster shutter speed.

          ·        Night mode is great for slow shutter speed but it disables the flash as well. Get the result you were craving for so long by choosing this mode as most cameras don’t automatically chooses this. 

Well, this is the case with controlling aperture and shutter speed by upgrading to a better camera or buying a new one. Get a bit more control over the camera settings and if you want to buy a new DSLR, then start saving funds now!!

DESCRIPTION: Control aperture and shutter speed by taking control over camera settings. Just go for up gradation or simply buy a new DSLR today and click perfect pictures. 

An Insight to Diverse Digital Camera Modes

In a survey conducted by me few days back on digital camera modes, I got amazing responses. And one of the most overwhelming responses to the finest shooting mode was Automatic mode. Novices as well as adept users of digital cameras suggested this mode the best which was a little surprising to me. But with this, I got an idea to put various camera modes in the picture for your knowledge.

I hope this article would be helpful for everyone who desires to access various modes in a digital camera. Three types of modes are at hand which are further subdivided into categories. Take a sneak-peak:

Automatic Modes

·         Automatic Mode: Auto mode doesn’t need any preface as it is clear from its name. This mode itself fiddles with the camera shutter, aperture, focus, ISO, white balance and flash and gives you the exceptional shots. Some digital cams equip you to countermand the option of flash and convert it to red eye reduction. It occasionally doesn’t come up to scratch to deliver right clicks due to the low light situations. But under this mode, you can hit upon some more apt modes to make it your preeminent shot.

·         Portrait Mode: When you toggle to portrait mode, the spotlight gets adjusted to the object only, keeping the background out of focus. The aperture gets larger and the object is the main centre of attraction in the shot. This mode works well when you yearn to get close to any object so as to take only the upper body in the shot.

·         Macro Mode: This mode is great to take close-up pictures and especially used to take flowers, insects or tiny things in the click. It’s recommended that you don’t elicit flash while clicking pictures in macro mode as it will not take the object properly in focus. Usually, digital cameras have the focussing distance ranging from 2 cm to 10 cm. 

·         Landscape Mode: It is exactly opposite to portrait mode wherein this mode sets a small aperture. The photography technique behind this mode is that when you click a picture, all the erstwhile things behind the object come in focus. The whole lot behind the object gets captured giving you a large depth of field. But make sure to take the shot with two hands (Here you can link the previous article where I have mentioned to hold the camera with two hands) to get flawless image without any hitch.

·         Sports Mode: Crafted to capture moving objects is what we call sports mode. Triggering to this mode can lend you a hand to capture people playing sports, wildlife, pets, cars and anything in motion. Pre-focussing a camera on scrupulous spot where you think the object will be, assists you to shot fast moving objects. 

·         Night Mode: Designed to click interesting and experimental shots is the idea behind night mode. Colourful and funny images can be captured with switching onto this mode. It works perfect for night parties where light is stumpy as it focuses more on surroundings rather than foreground. To get blur images for fun element, this mode is just what you want.

·         Movie Mode: Capturing videos is not everyone’s cup of tea and it needs photography technique if you want to shoot perfect videos. Extending a camera from still pictures to mobile ones is what we call as movie mode. It records sound as well as video and works great when you boast something wonderful to capture which will otherwise lose its charm in still picture. Furthermore, videos sit with more space if evaluated with still images. 

Semi Automatic Modes

·         Aperture Priority Mode (A or AV): It is semi-automatic mode wherein you are supposed to choose the aperture and rest of the settings are elected by the camera. Controlling the depth of field in a single shot is well achieved with this mode as you don’t need to bother yourself to control the shutter speed. Just focus on the stationary object and take the shot.

·         Shutter Priority Mode (S or TV): Opposite of Aperture Priority mode is Shutter priority. You choose the shutter speed and rest of the settings are selected by the camera. It works well with moving objects where you need to have power over the shutter speed to congeal the motion.

·         Program Mode (P): In some DSLRs, this option is additionally given with auto mode. It may be confusing to understand as there is a slight difference in both modes. Program mode makes you control more features like ISO, white balance, flash etc. which is not there in auto mode. 

Fully Manual Mode

·        Manual Mode: Now set up your shots and clicks as everything is under your control. All the settings like shutter speed, flash, ISO, white balance, aperture etc. are bendy and you can savour full control over your camera.

     I jotted down these digital camera modes to bring them to your sphere of your knowledge. Enjoy reading the article and I will be back with some more digital camera tips. 

Accurate Approaches to Hold the Camera for Amusing Clicks

Images get blurry and hazy and this is the common hitch which everyone faces with photography. It is because your hand shakes while clicking pictures which keep a fuzzy image in front of you. And the image looks more blurry if it is clicked in low light. Blur images look very annoying and the only solution to purge this problem is with the help of tripod. It is the finest way to click best pictures without any blurry effect. The major problem arises with the quality of images is when you need e-commerceproduct photography or jewelleryphotography. Images related to both these niches need to look wonderful to tempt the customers to buy your product.

The most common phenomenon which chips in to camera shake is that people usually click pictures while holding the camera with one hand. Taking shots with one hand causes the image to look blurry and the more you take the camera away from your body the more chances you will have of getting a blur image in result. It is due to the fact that taking a camera away increases the chances of shaking while taking shots.

How to Grip the Camera Perfectly

One of the finest solutions to reduce blur effect is Tripod as it reduces camera shake. A Tripod has three robust legs which allow you to place your camera on it and capture your perfect moments. But if you don’t have one then all what you can do is hold the camera with two hands and then take the shots. Holding the camera with two hands adds on to its stability factor and you get perfect images.

It seems cool and funky to click the image with one hand but using two hands increase your tranquillity and you get a nice output similar to the output of a tripod.

Now, you must know that making a perfect grip on the camera depends upon the type of camera you own. Basically there is no right or wrong approach on how to clutch a camera but some techniques can help you achieve it perfectly. Let’s take a sneak-peak:

·         Always use your right hand to make a grip on the camera: To clutch the camera, keep your forefinger above the shutter release and coil the other fingers around the front. Clasp the back of the camera with your right thumb to make a fastidious hold on it. You can practice it as some cameras offer finger impressions to let you know where fingers must be placed. Hold the camera with ease and don’t make a tight grip as it will shake the camera off.

·         Accurately position your left hand: Left hand should be used to hold the weight of the camera so the hand must sit under it. If you own a DSLR then your left hand must curl around or under its lens to click perfect shots.

·         Shoot by keeping the camera close to your body: Take the camera close to your body to add solidity and firmness to your shots. Tilt the camera from your face, let’s say, around 30 cm and fold your elbows to the sides while clicking pictures. To get an extra charm and fine look in the images, use view finder if the object is not too small.

·         Lean back on some solid surface: Another technique to take best shots is by leaning against some rock-hard facade like wall or a tree to keep you unwavering while clicking. You can kneel down taking support from a tree or wall as it will give a sturdy and balanced standpoint. The stable you will be the perfect the images will be.

Extra Photography Tips on how to hold a camera: To get an edge while clicking images, you can follow this pretty good approach. Just take a deep breath, hold onto it, click the picture and breathe out. Or you can perform this exactly opposite like breathe out and take the shot before breathing in. Just do it in a right away and you are all set to take the best shot ever without any hazy or blurry effect. It’s not essential that you need to follow these techniques to take faultless pictures but it all depends upon your talent that how you make it do right.

The Last Word: Indubitably, taking best images is not everyone’s cup of tea but if you accurately follow some techniques, here you are with your best click. It’s actually amazing how some people are called born photographers due to the talent they have of clicking flawless images. Of course, there is no rocket science in it but the tactics of holding the camera perfectly is the main thing. Rest, the shutter speed and lens plays a major role in the appearance of the image.