A photograph that is actually in focus
Tell the camera what to look at, and stop the blurred ones before they happen.
A phone camera is a very good camera pointed by somebody who has never been told how to point it. Almost every blurred photograph comes down to one of two things.
The cure for the first is to tap the screen on the thing that matters. A little square appears there, and the camera makes that spot sharp. The cure for the second is to keep still for one full second after you press the button, which is longer than it feels.
Key points
- Tap the screen on the thing you want sharp before you take the picture
- Brighten a face in shadow with the little sun beside the square
- Hold still for a full second after pressing, to stop the blur
- Turn on the grid, and use the side button as the shutter
What to remember
- Tap where it matters, then keep still for a second. Those two habits fix most blurred pictures.
- Elbows in, breathe out, press, and stay still for one second. It is the same advice as for a proper camera.
- Using a side button as the shutter steadies the phone far more than tapping the screen does.
Try this
Wipe the camera lens on the back of your own phone, then take the same photograph twice — once tapping the screen on your subject, once without. The difference is usually obvious side by side.
Practice: A photograph that is actually in focus. Your first lesson is free, with no account or card; the rest are part of a Lantern plan. Interactive lessons require JavaScript.