Focusing Tips and Tricks

Focusing correctly to ensure that your subject is sharp is a very important part to photography. Unfortunately, setting your camera to auto focus mode does not always give you the best results. 

Your DSLR camera will have two focusing options for you to choose, which are:

Manual Focus

This is when your camera will not focus on its own; the photographer adjusts the focus ring in order to focus. I do not recommend this option at first since it takes longer and it entails lots of experience.

Auto Focus

This is when your camera automatically focuses once you press the shutter release button halfway down.  This option allows you to focus more precisely and quickly.  Unfortunately, the auto focus can focus on the wrong subject.  Therefore, it is important to learn how to adjust your auto focus mode settings which I have discussed below.  With that said, keep in mind that most focus issues that occur are due to user error.  Learning how to master the technique of focusing can help you take awesome photos.

Auto Focus Mode Settings

One Shot AF or Single Servo

This focuses on a single spot when you press the shutter release button halfway down.  Keep in mind that if your subject is moving the focus stop does not move along with the subject.  It will remain in the same spot so you will need to refocus again.  This mode works very well with subjects that are not moving.

Al Servo AF or Continuous Servo AF or C

The camera focuses on one spot but it will continuously refocus as the subject moves.  This mode helps you keep subjects that are moving sharp.  I use this option when I am shooting sports.

Auto Focus Mode Settings – Selecting the AF Point

Another step is how to choose the focusing spot in your camera’s viewfinder.  Each camera can be different so consult your manual to learn how to select your auto focus points.  For the Canon camera you would look for a grid like symbol on the top of your camera.  Once you select the button, your camera will display 9 focus points.  Your options are to select automatic which will highlight all nine focal points or manual which will allow you to select only one of the nine focal points.

Source: LearningDSLR.com

Source:  myphotocentral.com

Below is an example from http://digital-photography-school.com website.  Notice that the focal selection point is to the left of the photo and that subject is the sharpest part of the photo.

I have included below a table that can help you with troubleshooting several focus issues.

Problem:	Blurry Image
Possible Causes:	If subject is moving then shutter speed setting may not be fast enough to freeze the movement or If the complete image is blurry it could be camera shake.  See my earlier blog about how to hold your DSLR camera to eliminate this problem. Keep in mind that really slow shutter speeds will require a tripod.
Problem:	Focus is on the wrong part of the photo
Possible Causes:	Aperture Setting:  Check your depth of field aperture setting you may be shooting too wide (lower aperture number). Lens:  It could be the quality of your lens.  Off-brand lenses will not give you the best results compared to a brand lens such as Canon and Nikon.  You get what you pay for. Focus Settings & Points:  Check your settings they could be off.

So what are your focusing tips?  I would love to hear them.

Getting to Know Your Camera’s Modes

If you have not yet mastered shooting your camera in manual mode and you are somewhat frustrated with the photos you have taken using your camera’s automatic mode function, then this week’s blog post will be of interest to you.  Learning how to shoot in manual mode for me was a bit overwhelming in the beginning, so I began to learn my camera’s semi-automatic modes first.  This allowed me to take partial control of some of my camera’s settings while I learned more about the three components of the exposure triangle and how they related to taking great photos.  The three modes that I will be writing about are Program Mode, Aperture Priority Mode and Shutter Priority Mode. I have also included several YouTube videos from butterscotch.com to help you understand each mode below.

Program Mode (P)

The program mode allows you to control the ISO setting, white balance and flash while the camera will adjust the shutter speed and aperture settings for you in order to get the correct exposure.  This mode is a step up from the automatic mode.  Some people would want to use this mode rather than automatic if they want to have control over their flash.  Another reason you would choose this mode is to select your own ISO setting.  Sometimes in automatic mode, the camera may choose a higher ISO rather than a wider aperture or slower shutter speed.  A higher ISO introduces more noise (grain) to your photo so being able to adjust your ISO will help eliminate the grain.

 

To understand ISO, a good assignment would be to practice taking photos in the Program Mode and adjust the ISO setting with each photo taken to see the difference in lighting and noise. 

Aperture Priority Mode (AV)

This mode allows you to control your aperture setting while the camera will adjust your ISO and shutter speed settings for you in order to get the correct exposure.  This mode comes in handy when you want to have control over your depth of field which will allow you to determine what objects/people should be sharp or blurry and out of focus.  It also allows you to control the amount of light entering the camera if you are taking photos in a low lighted area.  If I am not shooting sporting events, I typically shoot in this mode especially if I am shooting portraits.

Below is a photo I took at a photography class where I shot in Aperture Priority Mode in order to set my aperture f-stop to 2.8 to create a blurred background. 

 

To understand Aperture Priority, a good assignment would be to practice taking a picture of a non-moving subject while in Aperture Priority Mode.  Begin shooting your subject wide open (largest opening / smallest f-stop number) and go down one f-stop for each shot to see the difference in the photos.  You will notice that when you are shooting wide open your photos will have some blur in the background.

 

Shutter Priority Mode (S or TV)

This mode allows you to choose your shutter speed while the camera adjusts the ISO and Aperture to get the correct exposure.  This mode comes in handy if you are taking photos at a sporting event and you would like to freeze motion or create blur.  It is also a good mode to use when you are taking night time photos.  A fast shutter speed would be needed to freeze motion and a slow shutter speed will create blur.  One thing to keep in mind is that a shutter speed below 1/60 would most likely need a tripod in order to eliminate camera shake.  Below is a photo I took at a photography class I took using the shutter priority mode in order to freeze the motion of the water. 



To understand shutter speed, a good assignment would be to take photos of a moving subject in the Shutter Priority Mode.  Adjust your shutter speed for each photo and begin with a slow shutter speed such as 1/30 and continue until you reach a point that you are able to freeze the action.

 

So what mode do you like to use while shooting?  I would love to hear your comments. 

An Introduction to Aperture

The last few weeks I wrote about the first two components of the exposure triangle (ISO and Shutter Speed).  This week I will be writing about the final component - Aperture. 

So what is the Aperture’s function?  Well it’s basically the opening inside your lens and its purpose is to regulate the amount of light that enters your camera’s sensors.  Each lens will have a maximum and minimum aperture that it can open up to.  Your camera lens will indicate your maximum aperture right next to your lenses focal length (i.e., 55mm f/1.4).  If you look at your lens, you will notice that the minimum aperture is not listed.  You would need to find this information out from your camera’s manual.  Aperture is measured in f-stops. Listed below is a picture of a sample of f-stop sizes from the Wikipedia website.

Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-number

 

So do you notice anything funny about the numbers above?  Well the one thing that confused me in the beginning was the correlation between the size of the opening and the f-stop number.  Notice that the largest opening is indicated by f/1.4 and the smallest opening is an f/8.  You would think that the larger number would equal the larger opening; however, it is the exact opposite.  So important items to note are:

1.       Smaller number = larger opening

2.       Larger number = smaller opening

3.     In low light situations you would want to use a larger opening in order to let in  more light (i.e., 1.4, 2.8 or 3.5 depending on your lens)

4.     In highly lit areas such as outdoors you should be able to shoot with a smaller opening but this could change if you want to be artistic with your photos which leads me into my next discussion.

Depth of Field

Understanding the depth of field is a very important because this is how you can control what parts of the photo should be sharp and what parts of the photo should be out of focus/blurry.  Many photographers adjust their aperture for depth of field in order to get those nice blurry backgrounds also known as “bokeh”.  Unfortunately, your camera is not going to be able to know exactly what people to keep in focus on its own.  For example, you may be taking a group photo and you would like everyone in focus but what if you are at an amusement park and there are people everywhere.  Do you want those people in the background in focus for your photo?  How can the camera determine that?  Well by adjusting your aperture you can be in control. 

Below are some important things to note about Depth of Field.

1.      The people/objects located in the depth of field will be sharp

2.      The people/objects outside of the depth of field will be blurry and out of focus.

3.      The larger the opening (smaller number) the smaller the depth of field

4.      The smaller the opening (larger number) the larger the depth of field

In other words, if you want a blurry background you should use a larger opening/smaller depth of field.  If you are taking a family group photo and want everyone in focus you would use a smaller opening/larger depth of field.  So when deciding on your Aperture setting you need to think about the following:

1.    What people/objects do I want crisp and in focus?  For example, if I were shooting a group shot, I would use an f-stop of 5.6 or higher.

2.    Do I want a bokeh “blurry” background?  For example, shooting a close-up, I would most likely use a 2.8 f/stop.  Blurry backgrounds come in handy when you have an unpleasant background such as a parking lot.

Here are some pictures that I took to display the difference in Apertures.

The following photo was taken with a smaller aperture (larger number f/5.6) – notice that everything in the photo is sharp including the photo on the mantle.



The photo below of my sister-n-laws dog was taken in front of her garage, so I used a 2.8 aperture in order to blur the background.

I blurred the background on the group photo in order keep the cars in the parking lot out of focus.

So what’s your preference?  Do you like those blurry backgrounds or do you prefer all the details?   I would love to hear your comments.

Shutter Speed 101

Last week I posted a blog on the Exposure Triangle and its first component ISO.  This week I will be talking about the next component of the Exposure Triangle – Shutter Speed.  So what is the purpose of shutter speed and how does it affect the exposure of your photos?  Well listed below are helpful facts and tips I have learned about shutter speed.

The Shutter’s Purpose – So how does shutter speed work?  Well as most of us know, each camera entails a shutter that opens and closes.  The purpose of the shutter is to control the amount of light that enters your camera.  Light is essential in order to capture and process the image.  In other words, no light will equal no image.  So now that we know the purpose of the shutter let’s talk about shutter speed.  A camera’s shutter speed is the period of time the camera’s shutter remains open.  In other words, it measures the length of the exposure which is the time that the light was allowed into the camera.  One important note to keep in mind is that a high shutter speed setting equals less time/light to enter the camera.  A lower setting equals more time/light to enter the camera. 

 

 

What do the Numbers Mean? – So let’s talk about the numbers displayed on your camera for shutter speed.  These numbers are noted as whole numbers such as 100, 125, 200, etc… but in reality they are really fractions of a second such as 1/100, 1/125, 1/200, etc…  Again, keep in mind that the lower the number the slower the shutter speed.  A shutter speed that is less than 10 will mean that your shutter will be open for a long time.  Using shutter speeds like that will require a use of a tripod in order to eliminate camera shake which would cause blur in your photos.

Shutter Speed and Its Effect on the Exposure Triangle – As we discussed above, the shutter speed is one of the components of the exposure triangle.  So what does that mean?  Well for starters, it means that changes to your shutter speed setting will cause you to adjust either your aperture, ISO or maybe even both.  For example, if you move up your shutter speed then you are letting less light into your camera so your image will process darker unless you make adjustments to either your aperture or ISO setting to compensate for the change in light.

Tips on How to Determine Your Shutter Speed – So how do you determine your initial shutter speed?  Well a helpful tip would be to always ensure that your shutter speed equals or is higher than your lens’ focal length.  For example, if I am shooting with a 50mm lens, my shutter speed should be at a minimum of 1/50.  Other helpful tips to consider are 1) If you are taking pictures of children, you will most likely expect movement therefore, a shutter speed of at least 1/250 may be necessary.  2) If your subject is moving fast (i.e, sports) you will most likely need a shutter speed of at least 1/1000 or higher in order to freeze the movement so that the person or ball will appear as a sharp image.

Creative Effects and Shutter Speed – Many photographers adjust their shutter speed to add creativity to their photos.  Your shutter speed can control the effects of motion and movement within your images.  For example, a slow shutter speed will process movement as a blur which in some cases can be very creative in certain situations.

Listed below I took several pictures at different shutter speeds to display the effects of Shutter Speed.  The photos were of my son running at a jog during his basketball warm-ups.

Shutter Speed of 1/30 - Aperture of 5.6 - ISO of 2500
(Notice the blur from movement)

Shutter speed of 1/60 - Aperture of 4.0 - ISO of 2500. (Notice there is still blur in photo)

 

 

Shutter Speed of 1/100 - Aperture of 3.2 - ISO at 2500.
(Much better but image is not real sharp a little blur in face)

 

 

Shutter Speed of 1/320 - Aperture of 2.8 - ISO at 2500. (Image is much better but a little darker)