Photography Tricks: 4 Tips for Avoiding Blurry Pictures

We have always been in situations where in an attempt to capture a rare moment, we take out our phone’s camera and take the shot in a hurry. Only to later find out that the picture is blurry –annoying, right?

https://twitter.com/JessicaTandy11/status/838083553946632192

Most times,  chances are, it’s not the camera — it’s you! Although phones vary in camera quality as well as in features, there are some general tricks to help you get that sharp quality picture you desire.

Here are 4 tips to help you avoid getting blurry pictures.

Be Steady

Thanks for landing on my RIGHT HAND, little fly.
Thanks, left hand, for managing to be steady enough to snap some pictures.

— 🌱 (@itssprout) April 27, 2013

It seems obvious, yet most of us are guilty of ignoring this. In the rush to capture that magic moment, we tend to move around way too much. One major cause of blurry pictures is movement. When you move around, it results in motion blur of the person/thing you are taking a photograph of.

So as much as possible, try to remain still (before, during and after taking the picture), hold your phone properly and take that beautiful shot.

Shutter Tips

Cool iPhone phone photography tip: use the + button on your headphones as a remote shutter button to avoid camera shake

— Jess Moss (@jkmoss) June 5, 2015

Even with still movement and a steady hold of your phone, tapping your shutter could still cause the camera to move slightly, which might result in a blurry picture.

Most of the time, the movement caused as a result of this tapping may not really be felt. But to be safe, endeavour to tap your shutter button gently. Also, so many smartphones come with the option of using the volume buttons to take a picture; it’s also an effective way of having a shock-free shot. Auto-timing the picture would also be handy.

Get Enough Light

I don't care how good your phone's camera is, it sucks at taking pictures in low light, and the microphone sucks at recording at concert-level volumes.

— McMuffin Self-Medication (@Forzaroo) May 8, 2018

The image sensor of a phone is small, compared to traditional cameras, this makes it challenging for them to gather enough light in a dim environment which in turn, encourages blur. So when taking pictures in low light situation (night or in a dark place), your photo is prone to blurriness.

To avoid this, try taking the photograph closer to a light source or you could better take it in black and white mode.

Choose a Better Camera App

Omg @petermckinnon @MKBHD
I use the zoom camera on my iphoneX ALL the time. The fov is just so much better than the typical wide iPhone looking shot, especially for portraits 😎👌🏻
iOS Camera app “x2 button” is just digital crop though, use @moment app to truly switch cameras.

— Tzi (@Tziworld) May 8, 2018

One of the easiest way of taking a sharp shot is by using an advanced camera app. These apps provide you with lots of options ,which helps reduce the chances of taking a blurry picture.

These apps also allow you to set your camera’s focus (ensuring your subject stays sharp), white balance, exposure and a whole lot of other enhancements and options that would help give your picture better quality. Some examples are camera360 or Procapture for Android users and camera+ or camera awesome for iPhone users.

Take note of these tips, and in no time, blurry smartphones photos would become the least of your concerns.