Blurred Pictures the Five
The greatest single fault in pictures submitted by students of wild life photography is lack of sharpness due to camera vibration.
Photoshop will not provide a miracle cure-it will not salvage an image that is not sharp. Over-sharpening becomes too apparent when the picture is printed; the structure of the pixels is ruined. Only good technique will do.
These are the five main culprits for blurred images:
1. The photographer handholding the camera.
2. The camera is resting on a light tripod.
3. The subject is in motion and the shutter speed too slow to freeze it.
4. The larger the camera aperture the less is the margin for error.
5 . Vibration caused either by the photographer or by the mirror mechanism.
How do we resolve these problems?
1. The photographer hand-holding the camera - If you don't own a camera system that contains Image Stabilizer, then the guiding rule is to always shoot with a shutter speed that is at least twice the length of the lens in use. For example, if you're taking a photograph using a 200mm lens, your shutter speed should be at least 1/400 of a second.
2. In the field the Tripod is the photographer's best friend. I see more and more photographers leaving the tripod at home, this is a mistake. A good sturdy tripod will not vibrate with the wind or by pressing the shutter. So, if you want sharp pictures get a good tripod and don't leave it behind.
With the availability of Image Stabilized (IS) camera systems, handholding the camera is sometimes acceptable because you can gain about two stops. For instance, without such a system the camera meter may suggest a shutter speed of 1/30 at f/8 for a particular subject. With an (IS system) it's as if the camera will be shooting that scene with 1/125 of a sec., two stops faster.
3. The subject is in motion and the shutter speed is not fast enough to freeze it. If the subject is moving across your line of view, learning to pan the camera may solve this problem. Panning is a technique describing the horizontal movement of the camera following the moving subject.
There are times the photographer may wish a small portion of the subject to be sharp but other parts blurred.
So, the best shutter speed in any give situation is the shutter speed that accomplishes your purpose.
4. The larger the camera aperture, the less is the margin for error. The depth of field can be just a few centimetres or even millimetres either way from the point of focus, depending on the distance from camera to subject and the type of lens used. The depth of field is the area that's apparent sharp.
5. Any vibration caused either by the photographer touching the camera to press the shutter button or by the mirror mechanism flipping upwards.
The mirror inside the camera is located just behind the lens and in front of the shutter. It is hinged at the top. When the shutter is triggered the mirror swings upward to allow the shutter to open and close so that the image is recorded on film or digital sensor. The mirror then returns to its original position.
So, assuming your camera has the facility to lock the mirror, you'll need to use it in conjunction with the camera's self-timer or remote release cable.
If you're using a long focus lens and the exposure is long, then there's great need to lockup the mirror - in wildlife photography this technique is more limited for obvious reasons.
If you are photographing wildlife from a vehicle then you may be able to use a beanbag - a beanbag as the name implies is a bag with beans. It serves as a camera support for locations re a tripod is impractical to use.
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Carlos Pereira received a qualification from the British Institute of Professional Photographers. He developed a successful business in the UK as a wedding and Portrait photographer. He received further training in the USA from Monte Zucker, a master photographer.
His Wildlife and Portrait photographs have been published in the UK and European photographic magazines.
He concentrates his photography as a travelling photographer and a teacher, offering his expertise as a nature photographer through digital books.
His vision has been moulded by the classic portraiture that was his business for a number of years.
