How To Decrease Camera Shake

CAMERA Milkshake WITH Paw-HELD PHOTOS

We've all probable encountered this problem many times: blurry photos due to camera shake with manus-held shots. It'southward especially prevalent for those of us who are unfortunate enough to take unsteady hands. While it cannot be eliminated entirely, fortunately there's a number of steps you tin accept to profoundly reduce its bear upon — and hopefully prevent it from becoming visible in the first place.

example of a blurry photo due to camera shake

example of a photo without camera shake

Photograph from the base of operations of the Eiffel Belfry at night - Paris, France.

OVERVIEW

Camera shake is visible whenever your shutter speed is slow compared to the speed of unintended camera motion. Reducing its bear on may therefore include:

Methods for increasing the shutter speed (shorter exposure time)
Methods for reducing photographic camera motion

On the one hand, many who are new to photography often don't appreciate the importance of using fast shutter speeds or a tripod, just on the other mitt, many experienced photographers ofttimes overestimate their touch on. More often than non, it is i's shooting technique — not high-end lenses or high megapixel cameras — that ultimately limits the resolution of a photograph.

While either method alone can be of great assist, the most effective solution is to take both into consideration. Even the calmest easily cannot hold a camera sufficiently steady during a several 2nd exposure, for case, and fast shutter speeds are unlikely to freeze motion from a telephoto lens held past shaky hands. Also, increasing the shutter speed helps freeze a moving discipline, whereas reducing photographic camera motion does not.

METHODS FOR INCREASING THE SHUTTER SPEED

There are unfortunately but three ways to increase your shutter speed: (i) optimize your exposure settings, (two) avert over-exposure and (iii) meliorate how your subject is lit.

exposure triangle

Cull optimal exposure settings. Make sure you're making the best trade-offs with the camera exposure triangle; are you really using the highest ISO speed and/or the lowest f-terminate possible with your subject matter? Brand sure to consider whether y'all need an extended depth of field when choosing the aperture.

All the same, if you're using your photographic camera in automated mode, and so it'due south likely already doing whatsoever it can to increase the shutter speed.

Avoid accidental over-exposure. A common crusade of blurred shots is due to the photographic camera'due south metering organisation mistakenly choosing a longer exposure time than was necessary. Nighttime shaded subject matter and uneven indoor light can easily trick your photographic camera into over-exposure.

Use a wink or improve ambient lighting. If you're using a compact camera with a built-in flash, as well try getting closer to your subject so that they'll exist more brightly illuminated. If y'all're shooting people without a wink, endeavor relocating closer to the lite source(s), or waiting until the discipline passes through a more than brightly lit area.

If none of these are sufficient, then you'll likewise need to employ i or more of the techniques discussed in the subsequent sections below (but ideally ane should use both).

IMPROVE YOUR Hand-HELD TECHNIQUE

Although increasing the shutter speed is oft the easiest technique to implement, how you take hand-held photographs can oftentimes times make even more of a difference. Try ane or more of the following tips:

photographer using a wall to brace the camera

Case of a photographer leaning
against a wall to brace the camera.

Brace yourself and your camera. This might include leaning up against a wall, kneeling or sitting, or using the viewfinder instead of the rear LCD (since the camera gets braced confronting your confront). Merely try to have at least three points of contact between your body and the ground, walls or other stable objects. Always avert situations where your position or equipment causes you lot to strain while taking the photograph. Property your camera direct against a wall or other object also improves stability even farther. Make sure to stand in a position that leaves you at-home and comfortable.

Optimize how you grip the camera. It'southward important to hold your photographic camera firmly merely not tensely, and to utilise both hands. With large telephoto lenses, make certain to place one hand under the lens and the other on your camera. Make sure that your arms remain close to your body and in a comfortable position. Using your camera more than often can also make your grip feel more natural and become your hand muscles more than acclimated to the task. Also make certain that you go along yourself nice and warm.

Practice better shutter push technique. Always try to printing the shutter button half-mode first, so gently press the button with no more force per unit area/speed than necessary. It might also assist to pay attention to breathing. Try taking a deep breath, exhaling about halfway, then pressing the shutter push button.

Accept three shots in rapid succession. Ofttimes the very deed of knowing y'all'll have to concur your hands steady can make it more difficult to do so.

three shot technique - shot 1 (blurred) First Photograph
(most blurred)

three shot technique - shot 1 (sharpest) Second Photo
(sharpest - keeper)

three shot technique - shot 1 (slightly blurred) Third Photograph
(medium blur)

Yous'll probable find that there's a big difference in sharpness betwixt each successive image, in function because you're less concerned nigh individual shots. Just make sure to review these at full resolution; differences often won't be equally pronounced as the higher up example.

OTHER TECHNIQUES & EQUIPMENT Advice

Clearly, the best way to minimize hand-held camera milk shake is not to hold your camera in the starting time place. While this article focuses on situations where a tripod isn't available, you can too see the tutorial on photographic camera tripods for specifics on improving your tripod technique. However, there's fortunately several alternatives:

photograph taken with camera resting on the ground

Example of a photo taken by
setting the photographic camera on the basis
and aiming using a lens cap.

Ready your photographic camera on a difficult surface. While this tin can often produce fifty-fifty sharper photos than using a tripod, it can also greatly restrict bachelor compositions. On the other hand, it can provide a unique and interesting perspective on your bailiwick. Shots at eye-level often announced ordinary since that's what nosotros're used to seeing.

You lot can e'er aim your camera by choosing an appropriate position on uneven ground, or by placing your lens cap or a pebble underneath the photographic camera trunk. Just make sure to either use a remote release switch, or to set your photographic camera to self-timer mode. With SLR cameras, using your camera's mirror lock-up (MLU) setting will also improve results (if available).

Apply lenses with image stabilization (IS) or vibration reduction (VR), or cameras with milk shake reduction (SR). These features can greatly reduce camera movement — especially with telephoto lenses. This frequently enables manus-held shots at shutter speeds which are 5-10X+ slower than otherwise possible. However, such features cannot work miracles, and they normally work all-time only in conjunction with proper hand-held technique.

Avoid telephoto lenses whenever possible. A fancy image stabilized lens isn't the only mode to reduce the appearance of shake. Getting a little closer to your discipline (and using a shorter focal length / wider angle lens) will reduce the impact of shaky easily, and often has the added do good of creating a more interesting perspective. More on this topic can exist found within the tutorial on photographic camera lenses & focal length.