10 Tips For Top Sharpness

Getting your sharpest photographs today is as much about processing as it is about shooting technique. We’ll show you some pro tips for making your best pictures.

Text And Photography By Rob Sheppard

Labels: Camera Technique, Digital Darkroom, How To

This Article Features Photo Zoom

Nature photographers are always on the quest for sharp pictures. I know I am. I want to be sure that when something should be sharp in a photograph, it’s indeed sharp. I sometimes get mad at myself when I look at photographs on the computer and find a picture that I really like, but it isn’t quite sharp.

1. Choose The Right Aperture
If your scene needs a lot of depth of field, stop your lens down to one of the smaller ƒ-stops such as ƒ/16. If that results in too slow a shutter speed for the scene, you’ll have to change either your ƒ-stop or your ISO.

But there are occasions when having everything sharp makes the picture look confusing. In addition, scenes can look less than sharp because there’s nothing in the image that gives the viewer a clear sense of sharpness. In these cases, you may be better off shooting with a wider ƒ-stop such as ƒ/5.6 to limit your depth of field to a narrow plane. This will create a contrast in your photo between sharp and unsharp areas, making the sharp areas look sharper.

2. Choose The Right Shutter Speed
Recently, I was shooting fall scenes in the chaparral outside of Los Angeles. California buckwheat has a rich red-brown color in the fall, and I wanted a landscape that showed the buckwheat in the foreground with the rest of the background sharp behind it. I needed a small ƒ-stop, but I also needed a fast enough shutter speed to stop the movement of the plants in the wind. I even had to change my ISO setting in order to get a faster shutter speed.

If you’re shooting handheld, be sure to use a fast shutter speed, as well. Few photographers can match tripod sharpness with a shutter speed of less than 1⁄60 sec. for wide angles, 1⁄125 sec. for standard focal lengths or 1⁄500 sec. for telephoto focal lengths. Image stabilization can help you go slower. If you’re convinced you can do better, test it. Shoot a scene with your camera locked on a tripod and then with the camera in your hand as you change shutter speeds and see what shutter speed you need after you enlarge the photos to see critical detail.

Really Right Stuff TVC-33 Versa Tripod

3. Use A Tripod And A Solid Head
Most OP readers are familiar with our mantra about using a tripod. That’s why I didn’t put this tip first. Still, it’s important that you have a good tripod and head—and use them! One of the best investments I ever made photographically was buying an expensive carbon-fiber tripod and a solid, but lightweight head. I spent a little under $1,000 for the combination, which is both light and sturdy. You can find excellent tripods and heads for less money, but don’t go the cheap route.

The point is, make the investment. I find it hard to believe when I see photographers with expensive gear using a cheap tripod. I can guarantee that I’ll get sharper images from a less expensive camera and lens combined with a top-level tripod and head than I will from an expensive camera and a cheap tripod.

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50 Comments

Les makes this comment

Sunday 8 November, 2009

Like anything, there are exceptions. Though your sharpness hints are helpful, I tend to veer away from this "norm" of crunchy-crispy and create blurs/movement for emotional effect. Sometimes it seems incredibly difficult to obtain these types of photos in comparison to conventional sharpness. I was hoping you'd discuss that too.
Glen makes this comment

Monday 9 November, 2009

@ Les: I tend to like a softer look, too. But it needs to be done right, and intentionally. Getting a sharp shot is something a lot of photographers struggle with, so these tips are a great starting point for breaking off into selective focus. Also, it's tougher to make a visually interesting SHARP photograph than it is to make an interesting BLURRY one. When you go sharp, composition and depth-of-field play critical roles. Finding the sweet spot of sharpness and softness - offering both in a composition - is a hallmark of great photographers.
Rahul Mehta makes this comment

Tuesday 10 November, 2009

good tips... great for starters - how about some advanced techniques?
Phil makes this comment

Friday 13 November, 2009

Excellent tips on Sharpness, thank you. I do question a need for a high end tripod and head to obtain sharpness. If I can't obtain professional grade sharpness with a $200 or $300 tripod and head, with an IS lens and Remote Timer, I will forever remain an Amateur Photographer.
Ted makes this comment

Saturday 14 November, 2009

Quickest way to tell an amateur photographer? He's the one using a tripod all the time! Those of us who earn a living from shooting mostly cannot be doing with the inconvenience. I use mine maybe 12 times a year...! A monopod is much more useful and so much more portable.
Conrad Monroe makes this comment

Monday 16 November, 2009

Well since I'm just a hack novice with more camera than brains I appreciate the info like the f-stop range having varying levels of sharpness and how or when to apply sharpness in processing.
Kris makes this comment

Tuesday 17 November, 2009

Great tips. I agree with your comments about sharpening in Photoshop. What I find that works best is to use the burning tool. I burn in shadows to give the image a bit more depth and find the image just comes alive. It gives it a much sharper quality than the sharpening tool.
Mark makes this comment

Wednesday 18 November, 2009

Huh Ted, From an amateur to a pro ... I would take everything you said ... and do the opposite. Worst thing about a tripod: It slows you down Best thing about a tripod: It slows you down Unless you are doing "hack" sports photograpy, the laws of physics can't be denied. A monopod will never stack up against a tripod when support is necessary ... amateur or pro. If you don't have time (give me a break) to do a good job by using a tripod, then just leave the best work to us amateurs! :) Mark
Atlanta Chris makes this comment

Wednesday 18 November, 2009

Actually, most pros I know carry both a monopod and a tripod, so the "this or that" discussion is a little bit silly, given how light most of them are these days. If you're taking a quick shot, a monopod usually works fine, but there are times when you need complete stability with longer shutter times and only a tripod will do. I have a $30 mono from WalMart that I wouldn't leave home without. Get a comfortable backpack and bring it all!! Smooth trails, Chris
G Dan Mitchell makes this comment

Wednesday 18 November, 2009

I'm surprised at your #1 suggestion. Perhaps something slipped past the editor? Stopping down to f/16 on the cropped sensor cameras that most photographers use these days (assuming that we aren't considering P&S models here) will make photographs LESS sharp than if they are exposed at perhaps f/8. Diffraction blur is a sharpness issue at apertures smaller than about f/8 on these cameras. DOF increases but overall sharpness decreases.
Ron makes this comment

Thursday 19 November, 2009

Along the lines of the tripod use I find that if I have gone this far to set up, I always do the mirror lock up and cable release. Somebody else mentioned the desire for more technical tips, I am reading the "Real World Image Sharpening" second edition. So far this has been an excellent read on the "technical side" of post processing sharpening. Ron
Sarah makes this comment

Thursday 19 November, 2009

Seems like two obvious things are missing. Learn how to use hyperfocal distance and focus manually with live view/depth of field preview if you have it.
David Oakden makes this comment

Thursday 19 November, 2009

" good tips... great for starters - how about some advanced techniques." Seems that advanced techniques and substantial material that does not promote some new lens/camera/tripod/fill in the blank are very hard to come by in OP.
Bjørg Aas makes this comment

Saturday 21 November, 2009

Very useful for me as an amateur, look like I have to subscribe next year !!!
Anibal trejo makes this comment

Monday 23 November, 2009

Thanks for all the tips... some are already part of my workflow... some, like investing $1000 in a tripod dont... yet... :)
jean1113 makes this comment

Monday 23 November, 2009

Good tips. As a beginning photographer, the importance of using a tripod was drilled into me, and I still carry and use one most of the time. However, I see more and more advanced and even pro photogs that I know using their tripods less, given the popularity of image stabilization technology. Sometimes this makes sense, such as when bright light enables one to use fairly high shutter speeds as well. As far as cost goes, solid, sturdy tripods can be purchased for much less than $1000.00, as I'm sure the writer knows. I bought my first on ebay for $75.00 and it was as solid as they come... and as heavy, too, which made it hard to carry on hikes. The beauty of carbon fiber is its stability AND lightness, hence the high price tag.
Joseph makes this comment

Wednesday 30 December, 2009

This is a tip from a professional - the "tips" are in the "comments" - please read and learn from the above
Josh Gutierrez makes this comment

Tuesday 2 February, 2010

Everyone, everyone...I hope my comment is more helpful than annoyance... Here goes... I work as a studio photographer by day, sports photographer by afternoon, and wild life photographer by evening. Use your tripod when your shot is requiring it. If you know that at 1/25th of a second or slower etc.. Etc...is going to be blurry hand holding it, and this is the "money" shot, don't kid yourself and grab your tripod or monopod, if you can manage it. If your going to chance it by upping your iso, expect a bit of grain and make the shot count. Otherwise, you've missed your shot, took a poorly grained image, and are stuck not publishing.
Paul Sumberg makes this comment

Friday 5 February, 2010

I enjoyed the article and all of the comments. It's good to occasionally stop and think about your own technique. Are you doing the things you learned or discovered way back when? Or have you slipped a bit here or there? It never hurts to be reminded of the basics. Thanks for a good refresher.
Peach makes this comment

Thursday 11 February, 2010

Not only do the top-earning wildlife/landscape pros use a tripod, they also whole-heartedly recommend them. Ansel used one. Moose uses one. Shaw......etc. Try shooting a 600mm VR on a monopod while tracking a flying bird. Don't work. :-)
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