Nobody likes a blurry photo. Nailing the focus of your subject should be the top priority. Getting perfect focus comes down to practice and knowing your camera.

Most cameras have various focus modes. For static objects, a single focus mode is fine. If your subject is moving, use continuous focus mode to focus on what you point your camera at, as long as you keep the button depressed.

There is also an autofocus mode that switches between static and continuous focus as it senses something moving. Still, it's usually better to choose the mode yourself. See our in-depth explanation of the focus modes on your camera and when to use them.

Choose the area where you want the camera to find focus. Do you want it to pinpoint a spot you choose? Spot focus is good when there are many objects in a scene.

Also, get familiar with your camera's focus capabilities. How well does your camera focus in low light? Does it struggle if a foreign object comes into the frame?

The best way to learn what your camera is capable of is to go out and shoot. See what happens when you are in low light. If the image is all in one tone, your camera may struggle to find focus. In that case, look for another object near your desired focus point with sharp contrast or a defined edge and have the camera focus on it.


When doing sports photography, animals, or other fast-moving subjects, your camera may have many settings to track the action. Study your camera's manual to see how each autofocus tracking mode reacts to movement. Some modes can ignore if a person walks into the scene; others will change and track the new person. Again, practice.