When a Blurry Picture Works

Before you hit the delete button on a blurry picture...make sure it is really something that doesn't work.

When I first looked at this picture I took yesterday on our little hike, I thought..."Well that's blurry" but then I looked again and realized for this kind of picture...it does work.

She is running...her back is to me...she is a blur. If she were tack sharp...the picture could be a bit boring.

Now if it were a portrait or a flower...blur wouldn't work. You want sharp flowers and eyes.



So when you are doing portraits...make sure the eyes are in sharp focus. They are the window into the soul of the person...and blurry eyes won't let you see into the rest of the picture.

In macro photography, you should have very sharp focus on what you want to be in focus... I can focus on the head of a praying mantis and as long as it's sharp...it's all good. This was hand held...a tripod would have made a little bit of a difference in sharpness.


When doing selective focus...like on a baby's foot...make sure the foot is in tack sharp focus, it's okay for the rest to be a bit blurry...then you focus your eyes where they should be...on the baby foot. If the foot is even a bit blurry...the viewer will be confused and not understand the focus of your picture. Understand? You want that "WOW" factor when others are viewing your photos. It's my main goal in photography. I like when someone says "Wow!" It feeds my inner artist.

 I am using my tripod more and more...it is becoming second nature...except for yesterday when we were hiking...in nature. I left it in the car...this picture could have been a tiny bit sharper but it's not too bad for hand held...but it could be sharper.

I have many a so-so pictures hanging about...I love them because they are of my family or friends...but they won't win any prizes because they are soft...not sharp. I won't win any contests really, because I am a chicken and I don't enter contests.

I am determined to get every picture right someday. Sharp where it's supposed to be sharp. It's a worthy goal.

Patience and a tripod = sharp photos. Not that some people don't have the gift of steady hands and can get tack sharp photos without a tripod...I'm just not one of them :)


Travel with me as I practice sharpness and practice with me if you want to. I would love to see your photos.

Every Picture Tells a Story.