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How to Fix Blurred Photos & Visuals

It is the day of your city's annual marathon race and you're perched at the finish line, waiting for the first contestant to slice through the ribbon. You fire off a flurry of shots as the runners cross the line, confident that you've made some excellent captures. Upon review of the photos, however, you find that they are blurred beyond recognition. Colors streak through the frame and render the visual unrecognizable, much to your disappointment. Avoid future ruined photo opportunities by paying more attention to shutter speed and camera stabilization.

Things You'll Need

Tripod
Small beanbag

Instructions

- 1
  Increase your camera's ISO setting, which is a measure of the sensor's sensitivity to light. A higher ISO will improve your camera's function in low light and allow you to use faster shutter speeds. On most DSLRs, a clearly labeled "ISO" button will allow you to adjust this. On point-and-shoot models, press the "OK" or "MENU" button while in shooting mode to access the ISO setting.
- 2
  Use a faster shutter speed when photographing sports or quick movement. A shutter speed of 1/500 second is required to stop action such as running, cycling and swimming. For car races, speeds of up to 1/2000 second may be necessary. Setting your camera to shutter priority mode ("S" on most mode selector dials or "Tv" on LCD menu screens) allows you to set the shutter speed while the camera sets an appropriate aperture -- size of the lens opening.
- 3
  Attach the camera to a tripod when performing longer exposures, such as a shot of the night sky or a dimly lit stage. When shooting at a shutter speed slower than 1/30 second, use of a tripod is recommended. This stabilizes the camera while the shutter remains open to reduce camera shake and the blur it can cause.
- 4
  Turn on your camera's image-stabilization function. Most new cameras are equipped with this feature which reduces the effects of outside vibration. It can be found by accessing your camera's menu while in shooting mode. If your camera does not have this feature, exhale before gently depressing the shutter button to reduce the risk of vibration.
- 5
  Support a large telephoto lens (greater than 100mm) with a small beanbag. Because of the length and weight of these lenses, supporting them with just your hand may result in motion blur. Set a small beanbag on a flat surface, and rest the barrel of the lens on top of it for added stability.
- 6
  Focus your camera accurately. Sometimes the auto-focus feature can choose an improper focus point, resulting in a blurred, out-of-focus photograph. To prevent this, point your lens at your subject and press the shutter button down halfway -- this locks your focus until you fully depress the button and take the picture. You can also disable auto-focus by switching to manual-focus mode.
- 7
  Use flash if the conditions are suitable. The slower shutter speeds required for low-light photography often cause subjects to be blurred. By providing additional light via flash, you will be able to capture low-light motion with a faster shutter speed.

Photography