Nature Photography How To

Are you struggling to capture consistently sharp images in the camera without resorting to post processing? If so, the video below from the Photo Genius YouTube channel will explain how to solve most common focusing problems in barely 10 minutes.

Instructor Paul Farris is an Australian pro specializing in tutorials, shooting tips, and gear reviews for evolving photographers. In this episode he explains how to take your photos from blurry to brilliant by using the correct camera settings, along with a few straightforward techniques that he's developed over the past 16 years..

What you'll learn applies to whatever digital camera you own and will work wonders for all genres of photography. His approach is to discuss common amateur mistakes, and then "show you how the pros do it."

He discusses the camera modes he recommends for photographers of all skill levels—beginning with the Program setting. There are a couple important visual and audible signals that confirm when focus is attained regardless of the mode you select, and it's important to understand how they work.

Farris illustrates his recommended settings with Nikon, Canon, Sony, and Fujifilm cameras, but don't worry if you use another brand; you may just have to dig into the menu or look at a different place on the body to find the settings, switches, or physical buttons discussed. He suggests starting with the AF setting that's typically identified as "One-Shot" or "AF-S."

One basic concern is when the point of sharp focus in an image isn't where you intend it to be. Farris says this happens "because cameras have a tendency to focus on what's closest to the camera, rather than on subjects that are further away. You're in luck if this is your problem because it's super easy to fix by configuring the camera with the focus point(s) appropriate to the task at hand.

Farris explains the various options available and exactly how they work. Then he moves on to other key settings and methods of shooting so you'll never have to worry about soft images again. His popular YouTube channel demystifies other frequent problems, so be sure to take a close look.

We also suggest checking out the tutorial we posted recently from another accomplished pro, explaining how you can capture amazing photographs with entry-level equipment.