Focus – great tips for better understanding

Learning to focus is about understanding the shot.

With every shot, you must know what your subject is going to be. Your focus on it is about directing the viewers attention to the ‘point of interest‘. Learn to control your focus and you will control the viewers eye on the shot.

The important thing about understanding focus is that it gives you control of the way that you are approaching your subject. The shot is complete only when you have pressed the release button fully and the focus is captured in the final exposure. It is that point of commitment that is important. The click of the button. For it is in that moment the subject you have capture is immortalised. The focus you have provided on that scene is the way it is immortalised. In so doing you have given the viewer your view of your subject.

Knowing how to control that moment, the focus, is perhaps the most committing act of composition. It is also the moment of truth about your skill. So be careful with your focus. It is the ultimate moment of your capture.

In the video below Phil Steele shows you how to get sharp photos with your DSLR. he gives five five focus tips which will help you get the right focus and make the commitment to your exposure correctly.

Finally, a point not made in the video. If your stance is bad your focus will almost always be off. You will probably miss it at the last moment because you moved or did not hold the shot properly for the capture. So make sure that you work to improve your stance at the same time as your focus. Try reading this post… Simple tips for a good stance.

Some great tips here. Enjoy!

Published on Aug 16, 2012 by steeletraining; http://www.steeletraining.com

By Damon Guy (author and Photokonnexion editor)

Damon Guy - Netkonnexion

Damon Guy (Netkonnexion)

Damon is a writer-photog and editor of this site. He has run some major websites, a computing department and a digital image library. He started out as a trained teacher and now runs training for digital photographers.
See also: Editors ‘Bio’.

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