2.1: Section 2.1-How to press the shutter button

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A: Squeezing the shutter smoothly

You might have been disappointed due to blurry photos like the example. A common error many people make is to move the camera when they press the shutter button. A blurred image is thought to be a focus problem. However, it may have been caused by the camera shaking. Gently squeezing the shutter button instead of pressing it eliminates a lot of unintended camera shaking. Knowing how to press the shutter button is the first step in producing a good photo.

Smoothly Squeezing

You should always try to squeeze the shutter button smoothly and not jab at it. Shutter bounce has become a serious problem with the newer cameras that are small and light. Putting your camera on your palm and holding your breath in a stable position, are the key factors you should consider. The best way to push the shutter button is using two touches. It does not mean touching the button twice separately but pressing the shutter with two steps as following

Two Steps

① Press and hold the shutter halfway down while focusing on the subject

② Gently squeeze the shutter all the way down

These two steps are useful for the focus-lock technique which will be described later in
this unit.

TIP

Holding the camera steady
Even though you smoothly squeezed the shutter, it would be big problem if your camera was moving. So, holding the camera steady is also important. Here are some tips to steady the camera.
• holding the camera with arms braced
• using a strap to steady
• leaning against a tree or wall
• using a tripod
The following pictures show how to support the camera in order to prevent blurred pictures.
Remember that if there isn’t enough light for the auto-focus to work during a shot, you will probably need to use a tripod or something else to stabilize the camera. If you don’t have a tripod, you can put the camera on a desk, rock, bag, and so on.

B: Utilizing focus lock

You might be unhappy with unfocused subjects as in the photo on the right. Many try to place the subject at the center in the photo. However, if the subject is not at the center, your photo might look more professional. Most digital cameras focus only on the center of the frame. If you want to take photos with the subject placed at off-center, you need to use the focus lock feature of your camera.

Four Steps: Here is how to use focus lock to compose a picture – The key skill to use the focuslock is depressing the shutter button halfway

① Press and hold the shutter button halfway down so that camera focuses on the subject

② Keep your finger on the button

③ Slowly move the camera to compose the shot

④ Gently squeeze the shutter button all the way down