My Photo’s were Blurry!

My photos weren’t sharp and I couldn’t figure it out. I was doing what the experts said to do. I had the right aperture. I had the right ISO.  I had the right shutter speed… Sometimes. But I didn’t fully grasp the importance of stability in the sharpness and clarity of a shot. I thought I could hold the camera in my hand with a long lens and I would come back time and time again with blurry images. I was over estimated image stabilization in my camera.

Things got better when I used a tripod, but I didn’t know I was to shut off image stabilization when using a tripod at least with my camera. Often times I shoot from my car so I didn’t realize that the little bit of rumbling that your car engine makes, creates movement in your camera especially when using a long lens.  As I’m writing this to you, I’m realizing I want to say, “Duh what were you thinking! “

Using a tripod and a wheelchair can sometimes be a recipe for disaster so I went to a Monopod and that was better for me, not perfect but certainly more stable.  Paul, my husband, suggested I use a tripod that clips to the car window and that was very helpful… if I remember to shut the car off. Lastly, I went to using a beanbag. Depending on what it’s filled with it can get very heavy. I filled mine with sand and I couldn’t even lift it. I researched and found out Buckwheat hulls are lighter and very stable. Its so much better now!

So the point is to say that many situations require different devices or techniques to get stable shots. Sometimes the monopod is good. Sometimes the tripod is perfect; it’s especially good for me when shooting from my van.  I will open the slider door shoot out the van using a tripod and that works very well.  If I’m shooting from my car window or if we’re traveling somewhere, the beanbag works perfectly.  I’ve developed this new technique when I’m using my scooter of putting the beanbag on the tiller that I used to steer and that has been really great. In fact the beaver picture you’re seeing right now was taken in just that way.  Don’t underestimate the importance of stability in your photography, especially if you love coffee like I do! The coffee jitters are a real thing!