Nature Photography How To

Experienced wildlife photographers know how difficult it can be to capture critically sharp photographs of our feathered friends. And this challenge goes beyond subjects in flight because birds tend to be twitchy even when they're perched on a branch.

Of course we'd all prefer getting things right in the camera by using a sufficiently fast shutter speed and proper technique with our camera mounted atop a sturdy tripod. But when problems occur it's not difficult to eliminate motion blur in Photoshop, as you'll see in this seven-minute tutorial from the new Birdwatching Journals YouTube channel.

Camera shake is another culprit when it comes to soft wildlife photos when shooting hand-held—like when a stationary bird moves slightly a split-second before you press the shutter button. Whatever the cause, this quick post-processing will help save the day and enable you to rehabilitate an otherwise great photo.

Today's instructor Leo puts it like this: "By understanding the angle of camera movement or motion blur we can determine how to fix it in Photoshop." He demonstrates several methods for getting the job done using Photoshop's advanced sharpening techniques.

Leo also explains how to harness the power of Photoshop's Camera Raw Blur Removal filter while enhancing lighting with the Levels tool. As you watch his step-by-step instructions be sure to keep in mind that these techniques will also work wonders with other types of outdoor photographs where motion blur and camera shake degraded an image.

Compare Leo's before/after examples and you'll be duly impressed. Then take a look at the Birdwatching Journals YouTube channel for more straightforward wildlife photography tips and techniques.

And on a related note, don't miss the tutorial we featured earlier with a more generalized take on how to quickly rehabilitate unsharp photographs with Photoshop's easy-to-use High Pass filter.