Learning to Focus | The First Lesson in My Photography Journey

When I first picked up my camera, I genuinely thought beautiful photographs would just happen automatically. I imagined I’d point the camera, click the button, and somehow create the dreamy family and newborn portraits I had always admired.

Instead, I quickly discovered something every beginner learns very fast… most of my photos were blurry, whaaaaat!

After sharing a little about my journey from event planner to Northamptonshire family photographer, I wanted this next blog to continue honestly with where it all really began, and that was learning how to focus my camera.

Because before lighting, editing and posing… focus is everything.

The Frustration Every Beginner Photographer Faces

I still remember photographing my daughters when I first started learning photography. They’d give me the sweetest smiles (some of the time) and I’d excitedly look back at the image thinking, 'this is the one'…only to realise I had focused on the background instead of their eyes, or thinking the entire photo was just that little bit blurry.

As a beginner photographer, learning camera focus can feel overwhelming. There are focus points, shutter speeds, aperture settings, moving children, low light, and somehow your camera never seems to focus where you want it to.

And if I’m honest… I became convinced the problem was my camera.

I spent hours researching photography equipment, comparing camera bodies, reading reviews, and watching YouTube videos trying to figure out why I couldn’t achieve that crisp, crystal-clear focus I saw other photographers creating so effortlessly online.

Eventually, I convinced myself that upgrading my camera would solve everything.

So I bought a new one.

I genuinely thought the second I had “better equipment,” my images would suddenly become sharper and more professional overnight.

Spoiler alert… it actually did improve things.

And for a moment, I thought I had finally cracked it.

But what I quickly realised was that while the new camera helped, it wasn’t the full answer. My pictures were much, much clearer, but I still wasn't really sure why! The real shift didn’t come from the equipment itself — it came from me understanding focus properly: where to focus and when to focus.

As a newbie, we assume a professional camera means better photos, when actually it’s learning light, focus, timing, and technique that changes everything. Whilst an I phone can capture some pretty amazing photos, when you master that camera, there is no comparison.

Why Focus Matters in Family & Newborn Photography

Over the past few months I have learnt that in newborn and family photography, connection is everything. We naturally look towards the eyes first in a photograph, which is why sharp focus instantly makes an image feel more emotional and professional.

Some Top Tips I have learnt so far: When photographing newborns:

Focus on tiny eyelashes, lips, or delicate little fingers

Use soft natural light wherever possible

Take your time and slow down

When photographing families or toddlers:

Focus on the eye closest to the camera

Expect movement constantly

Be ready for real moments instead of perfection

Children move fast. Babies wriggle unexpectedly. Toddlers rarely sit still. Learning how to focus while capturing genuine moments takes patience and practice.

The Biggest Thing That Helped Me Improve

The moment I stopped letting my camera decide where to focus, everything started changing.

Switching to single point autofocus gave me control over my images. Instead of the camera guessing what I wanted sharp, I could choose exactly where the focus should fall.

It sounds simple now, but as a beginner photographer, this completely transformed my confidence.

I also learned quickly that shooting everything at the lowest aperture possible wasn’t always helping me. Like many new photographers, I loved blurry backgrounds and thought lower numbers automatically meant “better” photos.

What I didn’t realise was how difficult this made focusing — especially with children and newborns.

Starting around:

f/2.8 for family photography

f/3.2 or f/4 for newborn photography

…gave me much more consistency while I learned.

Learning Photography Takes Time

Something nobody really tells you when you start photography is how technical it can feel at first.

You’re learning:

Aperture

Shutter speed

ISO

Focus modes

Lighting

Composition

…all while trying to capture emotion and connection naturally.

There were moments I questioned myself completely. Moments I wondered whether I’d ever really “get it.” But every blurry image taught me something valuable. Slowly, focusing became second nature. My hands adjusted settings automatically.

What I’d Tell Any Beginner Photographer

If you’re at the beginning of your photography journey right now, struggling with blurry photos or feeling frustrated with your camera, please know this:

You are not failing.

Photography is learned through practice — not perfection.

The photographers you admire most all started exactly where you are now. They learned through missed focus, bad lighting, awkward sessions, and thousands of photos that never made it onto Instagram.

But they kept going. And that’s the difference.

My Photography Journey Continues

The Next Lesson.... The Exposure Triangle!