How To Take Tack Sharp Portraits  Having sharp focus in your portraits is key to get great portrait. The tricky thing is, it can be tough to get tack sharp photos and a lot of times they can fall soft.  But you know what? There are some really easy things you can today...
Quick Tips for Getting Super Sharp Focus in Your Photos Every Time! Are you having a hard time getting super sharp focus in your photos? You are not alone! Keep reading for quick tips for getting super sharp focus in your photos every time! It can be a struggle with even the most advanced photographer....
Laura, great tips. My question is, is it better to set with a single focus point or a matrix of focus points – some time it is impossible to get your main object to focus because there are objects (not in the same plane) in front of the main object so the matrix focus points will focus on that rather than the main object.ReplyCancel
This is the most useful photography blog i’ve ever found. The information is incredibly well laid out that even a beginner (hi!) can understand. Thanks for this, it clarified the troubleshooting steps to fix my blurry photos. I broke out the camera this morning and just took some shots, looked at what I had, used your tips and honed in on getting a good clear picture.
Normally I would just take 10-20 ( ok who am I kidding. 40.) shots messing around with manual settings until something worked (honestly it worked for me kinda) – now I can get that shot much quicker and with far less frustration because I get the “why” behind each tweak. Mentioning things like “sweet spot” really made me focus on that particular setting and it made an incredible difference. ReplyCancel
Hi, I am a part time photographer. I recently bought a 6D and really like it. My 50mm is my main lenses. Two months ago I had my camera & lenses calibrated. However, the last few sessions I did I was not satisfied. There were a lot of soft pics. I did a small family & was disappointed when I realized most of my pics were not sharp. I also took newborn pics & I like my aperture at 1.8, but there were only a few really clear pics. 🙁 I have another newborn session tomorrow & a wedding next weekend. :/ I feel like I am really trying to have everything set right, but they still aren’t sharp. I’ve been a photographer for about 3yrs. Do you have any advice for me?ReplyCancel
Hi Jen!
A couple things I might try. One is increasing your aperture- not too much- I’ve found that on that lens my sweet spot is about 2.2-2.5. Second thing to do is keep your shutter speed at a minimum of 1/100 (personally i’d so even faster-probably 1/250) and then adjust the ISO accordingly (don;t be afraid to increase it if you need too!) Finally- if you’ve been using tat lens for three years now, you may have outgrown it. I might upgrading to the 1.4 (I’m assuming you have the 1.8) or even the 85 1.8– you might see a difference with your sharpness!ReplyCancel
Hello, I just bought my new camera a canon 5d mark iv. I’m having troubles trying to figure out how to get my focal points and my images are showing.. unfortunately there aren’t a lot of tutorial videos for this camera.. I also would like to know if you know the best way to change shutter speed and aperature? Thanks in advanced this will greatly help me as I’ve been trying to find the answers to these questions since I bought the camera….
kacie farmerReplyCancel
Hi Kacie! You have a great camera there…I’m a little jealous:) I don’t own that one, but I’d start with really reading the manual (I know…probaly a bit dry and boring, but that will give you the best lesson) You can also check out an article I have here and setting your camera up for shooting in manual. Hope that helps a little! -EmilyReplyCancel
Hi,
I seem to have issues getting tack sharp focus sometimes. I first focus on the eye and then recompose to get the shot I want. When I check, it isn’t always sharp. But, if I do not recompose, the photo is sharp but the composition is funky. I was wondering if you had any tips on how to solve this issue?ReplyCancel
Good Evening, I have a question please. I am trying to figure out the best way to set my settings for Manual use on my Canon Rebel camera for photo taking. I know that for lets say a 50 mm I would need to set my Aperture to 1/250 for a child and around 1/125 for a adult. But I am lost when it comes to what I should set my ISO to and my F/stop to when it is and 18-55 MM, lense that came stock with camera. I normally take nature, structure prints and sell them. However, taking human subject photos I am just starting out and would love any input. I also have a larger lense that came stock with this lense as well. THANK YOU!ReplyCancel
Hey Kim!
When shooting people, there are a lot of factors involved for your settings to be correct. If you are shooting just one person, regardless of their age, expose for their skin by aiming at an area on their face and watching your light meter inside the viewfinder. Depending on the light, your setting may be very different each time you shoot. I talk a little more about manual settings here if you want to check it out. Good luck!
-EmilyReplyCancel
Hey Sodejisuru! You are welcome! I haven’t used that lens before, but I might suggest having it cleaned/maintenanced to see if that may be the issue. If it is always blurry, that is what I’d suspect. Sometimes zoom lenses tend to not be as sharp as a prime lens so that could also affect your sharpness. Hope that helps a little ! -EmilyReplyCancel
This post has helped me SO much!! Thanks! However, this is probably a rookie question because, well, I’m a rookie… But when I am taking indoor shots of my children, ect. and i increase my shutter speed I’m having trouble with the photos being too dark. I’m not sure how to fix that without lowering the shutter speed.. Hope that makes sense. Thanks for all your help!!ReplyCancel
Thanks EmaLee! Glad it helped. Inside to compensate for a higher shutter speed, you will most likely have to do one of these things(or both) 1. Increase your ISO- I do this all the time to make sure the photo is properly exposed. Dont be afraid to increase it. OR 2. Widen your aperture- and that my only work well depending on how many subject are in the photo. Give it a try and let me know if you are still having trouble:) EmilyReplyCancel
 How to Sharpen Your Photos for the Web Looking to try and find a way to get your pictures looking sharp for the web? If your photos have been looking a little wonky latey when you post them over on your fave social media platform, it might be because they haven’t been sharpened or...