Why is this blurry??

[Rebekah5280]

You know, I just took some more pictures today and after getting them off my camera onto my computer, I'm noticing that none of my pictures are sharp! I used F4.6 - F11 SS 1/100 - 1/250, ISO - 200-800 and none of my pictures are sharp.

I did a firmware update, any thoughts that this could have caused my focusing problems? I'm calling Nikon in the morning!

 

[EPPhoto]

Turn off the VR...it's not really needed! Ive read that it can actually decrease image quality. If you can't get a sharp pic at 1/250th a sec then your having focusing issues most likely

Sent from Erics iPhone www.ericporado.com

 

[UUilliam]

Skipped all the other comments

First thing I noticed was your shutterspeed of 1/320
There is no need for the quick (and the image is underexposed too).

I never really shoot about 1/125

you could have put your aperture down by 2 stops (f4 > f8 > f11) meaning you could make your shutterspeed longer by 2 stops (1/320 > 1/80 roughly which should be fine hand held).
if you were struggling with that, you could put aperture up to f8 and shutter to around 1/125.

Also, looks like you focused on the bump - focus 1/3rd into the image for maximum depth (around about the eyes / mouth in this image).

 

[Rebekah5280]

Yes, I realized I focused in the middle of the picture rather than on the eyes as I normally try to do. I think I was afraid of falling off the cliff behind me.. haha

I'm also more of a single subject type photographer, so I'm always using the largest aperture possible, and I am new with working in manual, so I had the aperture set that open out of habit.

However, I have now burned the suggestions of focus and aperture in my brain and yesterday when I went out with a friend and her son, I took the suggestions and my pictures came out so much better! TY!!

I do think that my autofocus is off though. My pictures are a little softer than I'd like. I'm contacting Nikon for this.

 

[EPPhoto]

Shooting wide open will obviously make softer images...go take some shots at f/8 and you'll see the difference.

Sent from Erics iPhone www.ericporado.com

 

[Rebekah5280]

Thank you Eric. I did go back out and tried to stay around F8 ish when shooting my friend and her son. It worked out much better I think. The pictures seem more sharp anyways.

This one was F7.1, 1/250, ISO 140

Any suggestion on cropping? I feel like they need to be more to the left of the picture, but I'm not sure what to do about moms elbow and hand. Is it ok to crop out the elbow but keep the hand?? I just feel like if its nots connected in the picture, it would just look funny.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Why do they need to be more left? What's your reasoning?

 

[ChristopherCote]

I would be inclined to agree with EPPhoto. Stopping down will increase the the DoF and thus work to eliminate the problem at hand, but it also introduces new problems. It is rare that you'll create a portrait where you want everything tack sharp. I understand what SwiftTone was getting at, but EPPhoto is correct in stating the heads are close enough that, at f4.2, the DoF is sufficient to keep their faces clear while blurring the BG nicely.

BTW, what the heck is with an aperture of f4.2?! I understand that it's technically possible to achieve any numerical value in an f-stop, but when do cameras operate in 1/6 stop increments? Weird-ass Nikon stuff...

 

[Rebekah5280]

Why do they need to be more left? What's your reasoning?

Well, I just feel like it needs to be moved over to the left... haha...

Maybe because the picture looks more weighed down on the right side (moms side) and I want to balance that out by moving the subjects to the left.

 

[Rebekah5280]

BTW, what the heck is with an aperture of f4.2?! I understand that it's technically possible to achieve any numerical value in an f-stop, but when do cameras operate in 1/6 stop increments? Weird-ass Nikon stuff...

IDK.. I'm new.. I just post what my pic info says..