What Causes a Picture to Come Out Blurry?

Focus

• Today's digital cameras are pretty advanced. The auto focusing systems in today's cameras rely on being able to identify contrasting colors in a scene in order for it to focus properly. If you are taking a picture where there are striking colors, the camera will focus easier than if you are taking a picture of objects of the same or very similar colors.

Camera Shake

• Simply put, you may not have held the camera steady enough. Even at high shutter speeds, camera shake can be apparent in pictures. You need to develop a way to hold the camera so that it is very still when taking pictures. If you are unsure if you will be able to hold the camera steady enough, attach the camera to a tripod for added stability.

Fast-Moving Subject

• A race car, airplane, train, animal running---all of these of these objects move very quickly, and if you use the same technique you would when photographing a stationary object, the picture will likely be blurry. When photographing fast-moving objects, it is best to use a technique called "panning." This is where you follow the fast-moving object with your camera, keeping the object in the middle of the viewfinder. While you are panning the camera, you take the picture. This technique takes some practice, but when done correctly, it can produce some stunning pictures.

Shutter Speed

• Shutter speed can cause pictures to appear blurry if it was not fast enough to capture the scene. While they are not as fast as the objects listed above, trying to photograph your son or daughter playing sports requires a fast enough shutter speed to "freeze" the action. It takes a little bit of experimenting to find the right shutter speed, but generally a shutter speed above 1/250th of second will be fast enough to create a sharp, crisp picture.