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Everybody has had it happen. You think you've captured a perfect photo, only to realize later it's blurry and worthless.

What causes blurry photos? There are three main culprits - camera shake, motion blur, and having the wrong focus point.

The first two are caused because your shutter speed is too slow. Shutter speed refers to how long your camera's shutter stays open, which is what allows the light to strike the digital imaging chip.

If the shutter is open long enough to allow something in the photo to move, then that object will be blurry in the resulting photo. This is motion blur. Camera shake is when you move the camera while the shutter is open, making everything in the photo blurry. Even a barely perceptible movement of your hands can cause camera shake at slow shutter speeds.

There are a couple of simple things you can do to increase your shutter speed. If your camera has manual controls, increase the film speed and open up the aperture to let more light in. If you don't have manual controls, then you can cause the same thing to happen by changing your camera to sports mode.

Now that we've covered the basics of increasing your shutter speed, let's get into some specifics on how to avoid camera shake and motion blur.

CAMERA SHAKE

Everyone suffers from a little bit of unsteadiness when you take a photo, even though you probably can't feel it. When your shutter speed is above 1/60th of a second, this slight swaying up-and-down and side-to-side usually won't affect your photo.

But what do you do when you just HAVE to get the shot at a slower shutter speed? The best solution is to use a tripod. But tripods can be cumbersome. They work great when you plan a shot in advance, but not for everyday strolling and sightseeing.

If you don't have a tripod, then try setting the camera on something and using the built-in timer to take the photo. Another great idea is to carry a beanbag in your camera bag, purse, or car to set your camera on. It doesn't have to be big, and you can shape the beanbag to accommodate uneven surfaces.

If you don't have anything to set the camera on, then try these tips:

1. Hold the camera with two hands (two hands will always be steadier than one).

2. Spread your feet to shoulder-width apart to create a steady base.

3. Steady your breathing while shooting.

4. Pull your elbows in towards your body (maybe even rest them on your rib cage).

5. Lean against something like a wall or post.

Following these tips can sometimes help you shoot as slow as 1/30th

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