Photo Guide Series

A how-to selection of photo tips

Sharp Photographs

     Have you noticed a  grainy look when you enlarge your photographs?  Now this is not necessarily bad...it really depends upon the look you are after.  If you are wanting to reduce the grain with enlargements you may want to consider using a slower ISO such as 160 or lower.  However, with the state-of-the-art constantly changing with film emulsions we now have several professional 400 ISO films that rival slower films.  Ask your favorite camera store professional for his/her recommendations.  If you shoot negative color films you may want to try Agfa Ultra 100,  Fuji Reala 100 and NPS 160, kodak Portra 160 or Royal Gold 100 to name a few. You may also want to experiment with the professional print and slide film offered by your favorite film company. Dale laboratories in their "Top Ten Tips from Professional Photographers" lists the following exposure trick. "Visible grain can be decreased and apparent  sharpness increased when using color negative film by programming your camera to overexpose from 1/3 to 1/2 stop. Most color films have at least two layers of grains...a coarse layer high speed grain and a finer slow speed grain. When you overexpose more of the finer grains fill in the spaces between the coarser grains." 

     Has this ever happened to you? You had a once in a life time shot...you were using your best camera, had chosen the film for the proper color pallet, decided on lens size, composition, depth of field and took your shot.  You just knew that this shot was going to be a keeper until you received the print or slide back from your professional photo processor.  The colors were right, the composition and focus was what you were after but still the subject in the picture was not as sharp as you had planned.  What happened?  While there are many factors to be considered lets begin with a question.  Were you handholding the camera when you took your shot?

     The big three causes of unsharp pictures are camera shake, subject movement and focusing errors. Our bodies are never stationary even when we are trying to remain perfectly still.  Hold your breath and there is still movement.  The pulse from your heart pumping blood, as insignificant as this sounds, causes movement.  There are several corrective steps that can be taken.  You can use a faster film (higher ISO) in the 400 range which should allow you to use a faster shutter speed (depending upon the available light) to counter camera and subject movement.  You may use a flash if the camera to subject distance is not to great.  You can brace yourself and camera against a firm support or assume a position that lessens movement.  You can use a tripod and remote shutter release. 

     In fact unless you find yourself in a fast shooting situation or in an area that has equipment restrictions develop the habit of using a tripod. There are quite a number of light weight carbon fiber tripods on the market with carrying straps that help lighten the load when you have to travel considerable distances on foot. Most camera backpacks today include straps that allow you to easily attach the tripod to the system. 

     Fast breaking situations call for fast shutter speeds. The rule for handholding a camera using longer telephoto lens is to shoot at a speed that is at minimum "one over the reciprocal of the focal length". Shooting with a 50mm lens requires a minimum of 1/60th; a 210mm lens would require at a minimum speed of 1/250th of a second. Depending upon the available light you may need to use your flash or a faster  ISO film.

     Know your camera. Proper focusing  skills come with practice. It may not be very wise to purchase and use that modern do everything camera the day of the important shoot. Whether you own a manual focus or auto focus both systems are reliable provided you follow the instructions in your cameras instruction manual. Read more on The Sharper Image

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