Hello ,
Today we're gonna focus on sharpness.
And don't think sharp like a pair of scissors or a knife edge, think more along the lines of the head of a tack sharp. In other words, a sharp point.
Sometimes, when critiquing a picture we made, what we consider to be blurry is unsharp.
Blurry has to do with shutter speed.
Sharpness deals with focusing.
Focusing is the compositional intent to make something at a distance the sharpest object in our picture.
But, achieving focus/sharpness can be a challenge for many photographers.
And since focusing/achieving sharpness on what we want is essential to consider in composition, we need to learn to focus effectively.
One reason we have difficulty focusing is that cameras have different focus modes, typically at least one for stationary objects and one for moving objects.
We've gotta make sure we're using the appropriate focus mode.
So, we
need to check the camera's settings, specifically the focus mode and focus areas.
Cameras call these focus areas and modes different names.
But they do the same things.
When looking through the viewfinder or LCD screen, if we see multiple focus brackets lighting when trying to focus, it could be causing issues with achieving the desired focus.
Also, it's best to use single-point autofocus and single autofocus mode when learning about focusing.
The autofocus area deals with how many focusing brackets are used when focusing.
The autofocus mode deals with subject movement.
Remember, what we're focusing on is distance.
And we can't focus
on more than one distance at a time.
So, having multiple focusing brackets trying to achieve focus on different areas more than likely won't allow us to achieve sharpness on the object/distance we want.
If we need to photograph moving objects, switch to the focus mode designed for that, but keep a single point area for best results.
We usually can't access focusing areas and modes if working in a fully automatic exposure mode.
This means studying and practicing focusing requires we use our cameras in aperture/shutter priority modes or fully manual exposure mode.
And,
except for specific circumstances, I would not recommend working in manual focus mode.
Knowing how to focus is so crucial it's covered as one of the first things in every class I teach.
And remember, we learn and improve by doing, so practice making at least one picture today.
That's all for now; thanks for reading!
Sam
I'll help you be a better photographer—study and practice photography with me.
And what if the timing doesn't work for you in any of my scheduled group classes? If that's the case, let's schedule a one-time lesson or a series of in-person or online private instruction that covers the same things as my group classes.
Ways to work with me are listed below.
