Let’s talk about one of biggest pain-points for folks starting out in photography. Blurry photos! It is so frustrating to download photos and find that they are blurry! Believe me, I have been there, many times. There are three culprits and types of image blur. I am going to dissect all three for you today:
- Movement blur, controlled by your shutter speed
- Depth of field ‘blur,’ controlled by your aperture
- Blur caused by missing your focal point, which is actually closely related to your depth of field/aperture.
*Edited to add this YouTube video in April 2022!
Movement
You know when go to take a photo of your child and they are running around, and all you end up with is a big smear that kind of resembles them? This is one instance of movement blur! Let me explain why this happens. Your shutter speed controls how long light is allowed to enter your lens. In the title image on this post, the shutter on my lens was open so long and let in so much light that my camera’s sensor was able to capture the entire motion of my arm moving in to grab my coffee. If I had used a faster shutter speed, my lens would have essentially blinked faster, and only been able to see my arm frozen in movement.
If photos of your children look like they are blurry due to movement, consider using a faster shutter speed, shortening the amount of time light can reach your sensor and be recorded! ✨
Depth of Field
The second type of blur you may see in an image has to do with your depth of field, controlled by your aperture. This is typically a desirable blur! Have you ever wondered how photographers get that creamy “bokeh” effect in their images? Your aperture setting can create bokeh. Your aperture is responsible for the depth of field in your image! The deeper the depth of field and narrower the aperture, the further you can see into the image. The wider your aperture is open, the shallower your depth of field is, and therefore more bokeh/blur.
If you want more bokeh, try opening your lens aperture as wide as it can can go, and pull your subject away from the background! ✨
Focus Errors
The third type of blurry photo is one that has a focal error. You want the subject of your image to be in focus to draw your viewers eye to it. It can be tricky to get a perfectly focused image because the focal plane is closely related to your depth of field. Did you know there are different auto-focus modes your camera can utilize? These modes change the way your camera reacts when you engage the auto focus by pressing the shutter halfway down.
Try using continuous auto-focus mode for a moving subject. Use one shot when your subject can stand still! ✨
For more free resources on photography, see my other blog posts here. If you want all of my secrets to mastering manual mode and easily photographing your children, sign up for the Manual Mode for Moms email list! 💖
