Photography tips - Nail your focus!

The question I get asked a lot is “how do you get super sharp focus in your photos?” I thought I’d give some quick tips for getting sharper focus in your photos! It can be a struggle with even the most advanced photographer at some point or another, so here are some tips for making sure your images are sharp and in focus every time!

1 The right Equipment
Wouldn’t it be ideal if money was no object and we could all buy the highest end equipment without a second thought? Well, of course it would be, but that isn’t reality, but you don’t need the highest end equipment to get sharp photos. If you aren’t getting the sharpness you want, might have a problem with your equipment. If you notice blurry or soft focus in your photos all of the time, you might want to send your lens in for cleaning and/or calibration. If your pictures are out of focus no matter which lens you choose, it may be the camera body.

2 The right Lens
Some lenses are better than others at giving you sharp photos. Sometimes the expensive lenses will give you super sharp focus, but you don’t have to spend thousands to get a quality lens. The 50 mm 1.8 is a great option and relatively inexpensive.

3 The right Shutter Speed
As a general rule of thumb, you want to make sure that your shutter speed is set to at least double what the focal length of your lens is. So for example if you are shooting with:
50mm lens: shutter speed at or above 1/100
100mm lens: shutter speed at or above 1/200
200mm lens: shutter speed at or above 1/400

I tend to push it a little close to the limits sometimes, but if I feel shaky at all, I’ll bump it up to ensure the focus is there.

4 The right Aperture
Shooting at a wide aperture allows you to get that nice bokeh or blur in the background that is popular, but it can also make it harder to nail the focus in your pictures if you are not careful. If you are constantly getting soft focus try to increase your f/stop. If you are shooting only one subject, you can set it pretty wide (f/2 or wider) and still get sharp focus. As the number of subjects increases, adjust your aperture to this general rule of thumb.

aperture by farrahj, on Flickr


5 The right Focal points
If you let your camera decide where to focus, it will generally seek out the area of highest contrast, but to really nail your focus, you will want to select one focal point. The center dot will generally give you the sharpest focus, so use that point while you’re practicing. Point the center focal point at what you want to be the most sharp (usually the subjects eyes) and hold as steady as you can.

6 The right mindset!
One of the most frustrating parts of nailing your focus is a moving subject, or even an accidental movement you make with the camera. Practice on a still subject with a tripod if you think there might be an issue with your equipment. Tripods are great for a shaky hand, but those pesky moving subjects require a lot of practice and a ton of patience, so don’t give up!

Hmmmm...That about covers it. Are there any other questions you have? I'd be happy to answer them if I can. Do you have adivce or other tips to share? I can't wait to talk to you all.