Subtle Factors That Can Ruin Sharpness in Photography

Experience has taught me that sharpness in nature photography is a fragile phenomenon. It’s easy to make mistakes that compromise sharpness. Even assuming the camera settings are appropriate for the conditions, several factors can ruin an image’s sharpness despite having the “right” settings.

In my experience, while the quality difference between lenses does matter, how photos are taken plays a much more significant role.

During winter, seals occasionally lounge on the ice that forms at the estuary of the Eyjafjarðará River. While reviewing photos of ringed and gray seals taken on a good day, I reflected on some considerations regarding sharpness. Most of the photos turned out well, but some lacked sharpness, which would not have been a problem with the proper techniques.

The intention here isn’t to list all factors affecting sharpness. There are countless articles online about that. Instead, I aim to share what I keep in mind when photographing in certain conditions to ensure sharpness. These factors often get less attention than camera settings or lens selection.

The difference in sharpness between expensive and moderately priced lenses pales in comparison to the impact of specific techniques that can compromise sharpness. While shutter speed, aperture, and tripod use are undoubtedly important, I consider other aspects as well.

Nowadays, seals can relax at the Eyjafjarðará River without worry, as seal hunting has largely been banned in Iceland. Hunting seals was banned in 2019. Before that, seals were shot near river estuaries to protect the interests of anglers. Today, the Directorate of Fisheries may issue limited hunting permits in regions where such practices are traditional. However, seal hunting is mostly a thing of the past.

The accompanying photos were taken with a Nikon Z7ii and a Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 lens, using 1.4X and 2X teleconverters.

Hidden Causes of Poor Sharpness in Bird and Wildlife Photography

1. Heat Distortion
   When photos are taken close to the ground, the effects of heat evaporation from the surface are magnified. If you shoot in a prone position near water, snow, or frozen ground, evaporation is likely to impact sharpness significantly. This issue can be mitigated by shooting from a higher vantage point relative to the subject. However, the downside is that photos are often most effective when taken at the eye level of birds or animals. Wind that disperses moisture and cold temperatures can help alleviate this problem. For this reason, early mornings are ideal for photography. As air temperatures rise, photos tend to become fuzzier due to increased evaporation between you and your subject.
2. Shooting from a car
   If you take a photo from an open car window on a cold day, heat haze from the car can ruin sharpness. The temperature inside the car is warmer than outside. You can address this issue by extending the lens as far out of the window as possible without disturbing the subject.
3. Lens Hood Effects
   A lens hood on a long lens can surprisingly impact sharpness. This can happen due to a temperature difference between the lens and the surrounding environment, creating warm air inside the hood. Removing the hood can improve sharpness. If the lens and camera have adjusted to the same temperature and humidity as the environment, this problem is less likely to occur. This is another reason why photos taken through a car window on a cold day may appear fuzzy.
4. Shutter Release Technique
   In low-light conditions, when you slow down the shutter speed to avoid altering the aperture or increasing the ISO, finger technique becomes crucial, how you press the shutter release button matters, similar to how trigger control affects accuracy in shooting. You can manage slower shutter speeds without compromising sharpness by pressing the button gently and avoiding jerking the camera.

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No doubt, there are additional factors that influence sharpness. Beyond the obvious points like understanding camera settings and mastering your equipment, these subtler issues can catch you off guard and ruin otherwise good photos despite having high-quality gear.

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