Perfect exposure, tack-sharp focus and ideal composition make up the “perfect” photo, although there’s more to art than technical perfection. Mastering your technical skills does allow you to take your photos to the next level, however.
Depending on what you are photographing, getting sharp focus is part technique and part intuition. While you can adjust your settings and use the proper equipment, when photographing children, sometimes it’s knowing when to press the shutter, since they can pause or run around at any given moment! With that noted, here are some ways you can improve your chances of getting that tack-sharp photo.
Tripod: If you are taking a picture of something that does not move, such as still life, architecture, or adults who can follow your instructions (“hold still, please”), then a tripod can greatly increase your chances of getting a sharp photo. Not all tripods are created equal, however. Often, you get what you pay for. Cheap tripods may not help at all when it’s a little windy outside. Using your self-timer or remote to press the shutter is also helpful when using your tripod.
Fast Shutter Speed: If you can’t use a tripod, or you are photographing people, increasing your shutter speed is key. Not only will it minimize any camera shake, but it will freeze motion if your subject moves slightly. I never let my shutter speed drop below 1/250 when taking pictures of my roaming toddler, for example.
Optimal Light Conditions: You cannot achieve tack-sharp focus if you don’t have good light available to you. Optimal lighting will show detail in a photo. Good light will also allow you to increase your shutter speed. Your auto-focus will also work the best when your subject is well lit.
A Sharp Lens: No matter what you do, you’ll never be able to get tack-sharp photos if you don’t have a sharp lens to begin with. Don’t waste your money buying cheap lenses for your camera. It’s worth it to save up and buy the sharp lens if photography is important to you. The same goes for buying a point-and-shoot. My friend once owned a point-and-shoot that would absolutely never focus well, no matter what she did. Her pictures always looked soft or downright terrible! She was incredibly frustrated and then amazed when she replaced the camera and discovered how much better her photos could be.
Focus Points: Switch your camera’s settings so that you get to choose the point where your camera focuses. If you rely on the camera’s automatic detection, it may focus on the person’s collar and you’ll miss focus on their eyes. Instead, choose where you want to put the focus point in the camera’s viewfinder and then place the point directly on the person’s eye. Because the camera’s auto-focus is always looking for a point of contrast, I put the focus point right on their eyelashes to get the camera to auto-focus. If you are unable to get focused and your lens keeps “searching,” try switching to manual focus. It’s not as hard as you would think, and as long as you aren’t taking pictures of a moving target, it may allow you to get the tack-sharp focus you’ve been trying to achieve.
Correct Aperture: Sometimes it may be necessary to close down your aperture slightly to increase your depth of field. If you have more room to work with, you’ll be more likely to get your subject in sharp focus.