How do you shoot with slow shutter speeds and handheld?

[sevo]

One hand to the tripod, the other to the cable release... ;-)

Given by the speed at which people can walk stairs (those in the picture seem to have traversed two to four steps over the course of the exposure), I'd guess at a exposure time of two seconds for that picture, perhaps a bit less if the photographer caught them running for a departing train, but nowhere near being hand-holdable. As it has a rock-steady background, it must have been shot on a tripod (or with a tripod substitute, e.g. pressed or clamped to the railing). If handheld, the photographer must have used heavy duty electronic stabilization.

 

[mfogiel]

The last photo of Parke was made on a tripod or with a camera resting on something.
BTW, an M7 is ideally suited for this kind of stuff. because you set it off, and then it exposes in AE upto 32 seconds. Only remember to use films with no big reciprocity issues, Like Acros or Tmax 100.
Here is an example of a shot of aqua scooters racing in front of the Monte Carlo beach, with the M7 placed on a stone pier:

20128324 by mfogiel, on Flickr

 

[nikon_sam]

One hand to the tripod, the other to the cable release... ;-)

Given by the speed at which people can walk stairs (those in the picture seem to have traversed two to four steps over the course of the exposure), I'd guess at a exposure time of two seconds for that picture, perhaps a bit less if the photographer caught them running for a departing train, but nowhere near being hand-holdable. As it has a rock-steady background, it must have been shot on a tripod (or with a tripod substitute, e.g. pressed or clamped to the railing). If handheld, the photographer must have used heavy duty electronic stabilization.

I totally agree...tripod, maybe several second exposure and the fact that people don't travel down the stairs at the same rate of speed...neat picture...

 

[parasko]

Thanks to everybody for your comments. I know I will have to do quite a bit of experimenting to achieve this blurred effect.

A couple more queries if I may:

if I want to achieve a 2 sec exposure at f8 for example but the camera reads 1/1000 sec, a 10 stop ND filter will get me to 1 sec. To achieve the additional 1 sec shutter speed, apart from stopping down to f11, can I use the exposure compensation dial on the back of my M7 to help achieve the desired shutter speed in addition to correct exposure? If I do use the exposure compensation dial for this purpose, do I then have to compensate for this exposure adjustment when processing the film?

 

[tunalegs]

I learned an interesting trick from an Exakta manual, it suggested that when shooting with slow shutter speeds one may hold the camera upside down so that the camera body is pressed flat against the forehead. I've found this works really well for panning shots taken with shutter speeds lower than 1/30.

 

[Baybers]

Wheat Bag

Wheat Bag

There are times when a tripod would be just the thing in the street, but lugging it around and then possibly causing an annoyance by using it, makes it more trouble than what it's worth.
I carry a small 'bean bag' of wheat in my camera bag and if there is a flat surface in the vicinity you can snuggle the camera into this and it provides a stable base for longer exposures.