# Need crisp, clear photos.



## samanthawilsonphotos (Dec 4, 2013)

I have been taking photos for friends and I want to take clear crisp photos currently my photos look like this.View attachment 61550
and I want my photos to turn out like this but don't know what I am doing wrong
http://leilanitucker.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/urban-outdoor-session-05.jpg


----------



## molested_cow (Dec 4, 2013)

Large lens aperture when shooting and sharpening tools in post processing.

To further illustrate the above points, "sharpness" is relative. To create a really "sharp-looking" photo, it will help a lot of you have areas of out-of-focus to enhance the visual effect. That's where large aperture comes to play.
You will also(most of the time) need further sharpening in RAW or photoshop to sharpen details that you want people's eyes to focus on. Just be careful how much you sharpen your image. It should still look natural, and not something that will create a sense of suspicion a.k.a fake-looking images.


----------



## 480sparky (Dec 4, 2013)

Having a steady hand (or use a tripod), learning proper focusing techniques, and understanding DOF is a good start.

Sharp glass is a must for sharp images.


FYI: posting images you don't have rights to is a forum no-no.


----------



## samanthawilsonphotos (Dec 4, 2013)

Tried to edit it but I can't get rid of the thumbnail....


----------



## terri (Dec 4, 2013)

samanthawilsonphotos said:


> Tried to edit it but I can't get rid of the thumbnail....



Hi Samantha, I deleted them for you - attachments are kind of tricky.      Just use links when you're discussing work that is not your own, and you'll be fine here!


----------



## Light Guru (Dec 4, 2013)

Comment removed I was mistaken.


----------



## Derrel (Dec 4, 2013)

A nice wide-aperture prime lens like an 85mm f/1.8 or 85mm f/1.4, or a 135mm f/2.8 or 135mm f/2 lens, or a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, any of those lenses would be helpful for those types of shots.


----------



## rasmussen4 (Dec 7, 2013)

One of the best tips I was ever given for keeping shots sharp was to not try and hand-hold anything under 1/60th of a second. I've broken it a few times, but in conjunction with a nice wide aperture lens, and some good lighting, it's still something I keep in mind all the time. In the beginning of my photographic experience, my biggest issue was always trying to shoot in light that pushed the shutter speed slower than 1/60th! Also, make sure you really learn how to use your Auto-focus points in the viewfinder. So many times I see people who are in the right lighting, but they can't focus it on the eyes like they're supposed to.


----------



## The_Traveler (Dec 7, 2013)

Put up one of your best shots.

What software do you use to edit?


----------



## JTPhotography (Dec 7, 2013)

I am going to be honest here so please don't take this too harsh, it is based on decades of experience, and is only meant to help you out. When beginners ask "how do I get clear crisp or sharp photos", what they are essentially asking how do I become a really good photographer. Unfortuntately, many want a quick tip or fast route to get there and it just won't happen. What you need to do is study the basics and master them and your photography will slowly improve. In getting a good, clear image, hundreds of variables can be at play, from lens selection, to lighting, to hand shake, etc. And all of those things will somehow relate to the basic fundamentals of photography. So if you don't master that, frustration will be the name of the game.


----------



## TCampbell (Dec 7, 2013)

I suspect that it's not so much how "crisp" or "clear" this is (at this small-ish size, it's actually hard to judge.  I can take a soft soft image, but in a small size you might not notice) -- but rather than selective focus that really helps the subject "pop".

Notice how soft the background is?  Even the foreground is a bit soft.  When you have a focused subject with a deliberately non-focused background (created by using a low focal ratio) you can really call attention to your subject because you are using selective focus.  

If you look at the roadway in the 2nd shot, you can see the image coming in and out of focus - the depth of field is quite visible here.

The "focus" part of the shot is obtained by using a fairly low focal ratio.  f/4 will do provide some effect... f/2.8 will provide a stronger effect.  f/2 will provide a very strong version of the effect -- lots of "creamy" background.  Below f/2.... e.g. f/1.4 will start to create a depth of field which is so thin that you are in danger of not being able to completely focus your intended subject (e.g. you might notice their "eyes" are focused, but there nose and ears are already going soft.)  Use f-stops below 2 with care.

There's a bit more going on here... the photographer is putting the sun behind the subject.  You'd think it would be better to put the sun in front of the subject -- so that the sun is on your subject's face.  But this often results in squinting subjects -- not in a flattering way.  Care must be taken to avoid rendering the subject as a silhouette when doing this -- fill flash or reflectors can help.


----------



## kchoi (Dec 9, 2013)

I think you have some handshake. Try to increase the shutter speed next time. Better to have it faster than the safety shutter speed.


----------



## wwalford (Dec 11, 2013)

I am still learning and I also struggle with this. Two things I found is tripod helped a lot with a remote. Also the lens, and what I mean by this is quality of the lens. If you taking a kit lens that only goes to f4 and then take a more expensive lens that goes to f1.8 you get totally different quality pictures. Often it is nothing to do with the camera body but more with the lens you put on the body. So for me now I will hire a really nice lens until I can afford my own.


----------



## SwampDude (Feb 3, 2014)

Some folks still spend considerable bucks to buy fixed focal length ('prime') lenses, and my understanding has been that such lenses can provide better image quality (and other benefits) than variable lenses. Maybe the advantage is marginal, but a good 50mm lens should allow the photographer to capture 'sharper' images than a variable lens shot at 50mm because of better optics. Is my generalization correct?


----------



## KmH (Feb 3, 2014)

Sort of.

It really depends on which prime and which zoom lenses you are comparing.

With 50 mm lenses there are 3 grades:
The inexpensive consumer grade 50 mm f/1.8's (5 to 7 lens aperture blades, less attention to the correction of optical aberrations)
The prosumer 50 mm f/1.4's (7 to 9 lens aperture blades, better optical aberration correction)
And the pro grade 50 mm f/1.2's (9 lens aperture blades, best optical aberration correction)


----------



## SwampDude (Feb 3, 2014)

KmH said:


> Sort of.
> 
> It really depends on which prime and which zoom lenses you are comparing.
> 
> ...



If I'm willing to pop for a pro grade 35 or 50mm lens, might I expect noticeably sharper images (assuming I'm holding and doing other things right) than my AF-S DX Nikkor zoom lenses are giving me?


----------



## Coasty (Feb 3, 2014)

SwampDude said:


> KmH said:
> 
> 
> > Sort of.
> ...



Well, the 50mm f1.2 Nikkor is a manual focus only lens, only Canon makes an autofocus version.  I have one and it is a great lens but wide open your DOF is in the millimeter range. You have very little wiggle room.  I usually use it at f2 as it is sharper and the DOF is more manageable, but still has loads of bokeh.
A 50mm f1.4G or D will be cheaper and autofocus, and the f1.8 is no slouch either.


----------



## InnovaWraith (Feb 7, 2014)

The game changer for me was a tripod.  I use mine for 95% of the pictures I take.  Your keeper ratio goes way up.


----------



## DrHarmony (Mar 2, 2014)

I asked myself this question at one point and as someone else has pointed out, there is soo many variables. 
What I found that gave me what I was actually looking for is a difference in depth of field. 
As mentioned above, the ability to direct the viewer to the subject with DOF and composition has a huge impact of "POP"


----------



## cynicaster (Mar 2, 2014)

- all lenses are sharper at some settings than others.  Learn where the sweet spot is in your gear. 
- employ techniques to separate the subject from the background (such as blurred background, contrast, etc.)
- illuminate the subject's face well.  This is very important.  Practice techniques like fill flash and use of reflectors.
- learn post processing techniques that enable you to bring out the best traits of your work in a tasteful way (contrast adjustments, sharpening, skin smoothing, cropping, etc.)

I'd urge you to not get overly fixated on "sharpness".  Sure, it's important, but there is more to a good image than just that.  Once you start minding the details of the craft--some of which are mentioned above--you'll probably find that your results will gradually exude more and more impact, and the "perceived sharpness" of them will go up, even without an expensive lens upgrade. 

I'm not saying lens upgrades are bad; I'm just saying that you should learn to run the gear you have to its limits before you go shelling out piles of cash for new stuff that is capable of performing way outside of your ability to use it.


----------



## PWhite214 (Mar 2, 2014)

Get to know your equipment.  Try reading Composition From Snapshots to Great Shots http://www.amazon.com/Composition-S...F8&qid=1393791097&sr=1-3&keywords=composition.  Despite the title, the chapters and assignments begin with exploring your equipment.


----------



## glun (Mar 31, 2014)

samanthawilsonphotos said:


> I have been taking photos for friends and I want to take clear crisp photos currently my photos look like this.View attachment 61550
> and I want my photos to turn out like this but don't know what I am doing wrong
> http://leilanitucker.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/urban-outdoor-session-05.jpg



Make sure you hold your camera steady even in good lighting condition (or use tripod). Large aperture preferably 2.8 or lower will be great. A prime lens like canon 85mm 1.2 will be ideal. You can get similar result with other equipments or post processing. It really depends on how you want to tackle your shots. Hope this helps!


----------



## nickelvery (Apr 7, 2014)

What equipment are you using Samantha?


----------



## manaheim (Apr 7, 2014)

JTPhotography said:


> I am going to be honest here so please don't take this too harsh, it is based on decades of experience, and is only meant to help you out. When beginners ask "how do I get clear crisp or sharp photos", what they are essentially asking how do I become a really good photographer. Unfortuntately, many want a quick tip or fast route to get there and it just won't happen. What you need to do is study the basics and master them and your photography will slowly improve. Getting a good, clear image can hundreds of variables can be at play, from lens selection, to lighting, to hand shake, etc. And all of those things will somehow relate to the basic fundamentals of photography. So if you don't master than, frustration will be the name of the game.



Quoting for emphasis.


----------



## minicoop1985 (Apr 7, 2014)

cynicaster said:


> - all lenses are sharper at some settings than others.  Learn where the sweet spot is in your gear.
> - employ techniques to separate the subject from the background (such as blurred background, contrast, etc.)
> - illuminate the subject's face well.  This is very important.  Practice techniques like fill flash and use of reflectors.
> - learn post processing techniques that enable you to bring out the best traits of your work in a tasteful way (contrast adjustments, sharpening, skin smoothing, cropping, etc.)
> ...



^ that. I mean upgrading from the kit lens isn't a bad idea, but that^ is even better. Combine the two, and I think you're golden. I had an issue with a lens where the sweet spot was in a spot that I didn't want to shoot (too thin of a DOF), so I really had to move on-IQ was noticeably bad, moreso than the sharpness isn't everything rule would allow for what I was using it for. If you want to replace an 18-55 kit lens, I'd HIGHLY recommend a Tamron 17-50 f2.8. Much larger sweet spot (mine seems sharper from f4-16 and best at f8-11) than what I was using before, which was sharpish at f4, but soft everywhere else. Product shots shouldn't be soft, and often need a larger DOF than that thing could provide at f4, so out it went.


----------



## Solarflare (Apr 8, 2014)

JTPhotography said:


> [...] When beginners ask "how do I get clear crisp or sharp photos", what they are essentially asking how do I become a really good photographer. [...]


 Actually thats just a TECHNICALLY good photographer. Photography as an artform to make non-boring pictures is a step further.


----------

