Photo Quick Tips #1 The Shutter Release Button

The Baby Photographer

Photography Quick Tips

Published on Thursday, 15 September 2011 10:00

Last Updated on 15 September 2011

Michael Shilling

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Every other week I’ll be sharing some photography basics to help you get great photos of your family.

Quick tip #1

Understanding how your shutter release button works.

Your shutter release (that big button on the top of your camera) is a wonderful device but not many people realise that it has two functions (actually it has a lot more but essentially it has to two step function)

 

The main function, I’m guessing your realise, is to take the photo itself but this is actually the 2nd job it does after you press it.

 

The first function, which is triggered when you press halfway down on the button, actually does multiple jobs for you.

 

The most important of which is focusing on your subject. Then this clever little feature looks at your subject and makes decisions about the exposure and the focus.

 

As this is a lot for your camera to do this is why you might experience a short delay in-between pressing your shutter button and the picture being taken.

 

This isn’t ideal if your trying to photograph a 2 year old moving at lightening speed or your friendly neighbourhood squirrel pillaging your bird feeder.

 

An easy way to get around this is to press your shutter halfway down and hold it there till your subject is posed perfectly. Then all you do is press the shutter the rest of the way down and SNAP! you have your action shot!