Why Your Camera Always Takes Blurry Photos
Today's adventure brought me to a completely frozen marina, a sight I've never witnessed before. The marina, usually bustling with activity, lay silent under a blanket of ice, with just a few areas starting to thaw. The serene scene was enhanced by the low winter light filtering through the trees, casting intricate shadows around.
While exploring, I came across several playful dogs, adding life to the still landscape. I took the opportunity to capture these moments, ensuring the images of the dogs were sharp despite using a 35mm lens at f/2.8, which naturally threw the backgrounds out of focus. Upon closer inspection, the focus on the dog's eyes confirmed the images were sharp enough.
Switching gears, I revisited a photo from Milan, taken on the stairs in Brera. Unlike the dog photos, this one didn't turn out sharp. Interestingly, despite its technical imperfections, this Milan photo received positive feedback for its style and composition in a recent video.
These experiences highlight a common challenge in photography—dealing with unsharp images due to poor lighting. To expose properly in such conditions, compromises are often made with shutter speed, aperture, and ISO settings, each affecting the image's sharpness and overall quality. Ideally, shooting in good light is the best remedy, as post-processing can't always save an image compromised by bad lighting.
Does motion blur ruin a photo? Not necessarily. While sharpness is often desired, there are times when motion blur can add a dynamic element to an image, conveying movement and adding a layer of emotion, especially in fast-paced scenes like sports.
Lastly, the choice of aperture can greatly affect your image's focus. A wide aperture like f/1.8 might seem appealing for its bokeh effect, but it can make focusing challenging due to the shallow depth of field. Sometimes, stopping down to f/4 or even f/8 can bring more of your scene into focus, providing a clearer image.
So, while sharp images are often sought after, remember that the most compelling photos are those that resonate with viewers, regardless of technical perfection. Sometimes, it's the imperfections that make an image truly stand out.
