Photography Tip -Motion Blur - by Myrtle Beach Photography

Tips to Avoid Motion Blur

The number one frustration that parents have come to me with while trying to photography their child at an event or practice is motion blur.  To understand why this happens, you need a little background about shutter speed and the aperture.  The aperture or the F-stop setting determines the amount of light getting into the camera.  The more light that is allowed in, the better chance to stop the motion blur.  Also, the shutter speed needs to be fast in order to stop the blur.  When photographing a gymnastics event, I usually have my shutter speed set to around 400, which is pretty quick.  If the shutter speed is fast, less light is allowed into the camera.  So, you need to pick the lowest shutter speed possible to allow in the light but still keep the blur from messing up you shot.  The more still you can keep you camera, the lower your shutter speed can be set.   Your number one best solution is to buy a lens that is F2.8 or lower. The more expensive lens will usually come with image stabilization and will allow you to set your aperture so more light can enter your camera.  Your cameras aperture will only go as low as your lens will allow.  That is why if you purchase a lens at F2.8, your cameras aperture can be set to allow in more light.  This can be an expensive fix so here are a few other things that you can do to make blurry photos less of a likelihood.

    Buy A Tripod

If you are having trouble keeping still because of health issues such as muscle weakness or pains, this is your best bet. Even if this is not the case with you, a tripod is still a great investment for your digital camera use. No worries from shaking while you hold your camera makes this a winning choice for many photo opportunities. When buying a tripod you must make certain that you are getting a sturdy, well built model. You don’t want to have it falling down with your expensive digital camera and lenses.

    Prop Yourself

The camera will detect shaking even if it does not seem like we are moving  and this is a major cause of blurry photos. Before taking the shot, look around for some sort of prop that you can use to lean on.

If you are sitting down, a good prop can be your knees.  I will sometimes prop up my knees and set the lens on them to hold the camera steady. Same goes for a fence or stair rail.  Anything you can find to hold you steady will work.

If you are inventive and have the resources around you such as small buildings, cars, trees, even picnic tables, then you can come up with a position that you are comfortable with.

    Snap Gently

Don’t go overboard on pressing the button down! Too much force can actually give your camera a slight shake. Slow and gentle can do wonders for your photos !

     Hold Your Breath

Many people don’t realize that breathing moves the body and therefore the camera in such a way as to make the seemingly perfect shot blurry. You made every effort to be still and it happened again ! Even the slight movement caused by inhaling or exhaling can disrupt a shutter that is staying open to take a low light shot.

As you can see there are some simple solutions that should get you back on track to taking great photos. Take your environment into consideration and use it to your advantage.