Steadying Yourself

[kully]

Anyone have any wisdom on holding the camera steady(er)?

Do I need to pump up my arms at the gym, cut a nook in my nose, hold the camera in a special way, rest it on a particular part of my face...?

I do the breathing out before shooting bit, but I'm finding I can still see the image moving in the viewfinder (slightly shaking).

I don't know, I just feel like I'm holding the camera wrong, being a left-eye bloke who wears glasses probably dain't help either.

 

[dmr]

Lean back on something. Rest your arm against a lamp post or sign. Rest the camera on a railing. Sit if you can. Lean forward over a railing. Brace against a car window. Those are some things I do.

 

[sf]

I sometimes rest my elbows against my chest/gut. Sort of tuck them in and brace that way. I shoot like a sniper though, really watch the motion that heartbeat, breathing, shaking, etc., puts into the image - and wait till those have stilled somewhat - and fire. This is only when I'm shooting something that really requires a slower shutterspeed. In the street, I just don't shoot slow film. I keep my shutterspeed around 250 generally, and that keeps the blur to a minimum. Not eating alot of sugar, or trying to shoot when out of breath, or drinking caffeinated beverages also helps.

I'm left eye-dominant as well. I hold my breath or I'm breathing all over hte back of my camera - the RF645 really covers the face. I don't wait too long, though after taking a breath, to shoot. THe longer you hold it, the more you'll shake. It takes practice, but after a bit, you get used to shooting quickly, and you just feel where your physiology is in a cycle. You know when your body is most still, when you can brace yourself properly, and take the shot.

ALSO : watch how the camera shakes when you fire the shutter release - and just before. Some people don't notice that they twist the camera just before shooting, or that they press/squeeze the camera in a way that moves it during exposure. I practiced alot getting used to not moving anything in the hands/arms except my trigger finger. It makes a BIG difference.

 

[ghost]

the key is to relax and don't think about it too much. i usually breathe in instead of out, though.

 

[sf]

the key is to relax and don't think about it too much. i usually breathe in instead of out, though.

this is also true for some people - on breating out, some people experience something called compensatory pause - and their heart beats harder. You might gind breathing in gently actually helps as well.

 

[bmattock]

B.R.A.S.S. - Breathe, relax, aim, stop, squeeze.

Of course you will move - everyone does. But you move in a pattern - usually a kind of tiny little figure-8. Learn your own pattern, don't fight it, ride with it, and predict when it will be your moment to take the photo. Learn when your camera's shutter release breaks - be on that spot so that it is a simple reflexive press, not a jerk or a hard push, to finish the motion. The shutter going off should almost surprise you, and a good shutter release feels like a glass rod breaking.

 

[bmattock]

Of course, there is always tripod, bipod, monopod, bean bags, bracing yourself against a wall or a tree, etc.

There is also a very old trick using a bit of string and a bolt threaded for your tripod bush. Tie the string long enough to make a loop that drapes from camera height down to the ground, then attach it to the bolt and screw the bolt into the tripod bush. Step into the loop and hold it down with your foot. Adjust it so that when you lift UP with your arms, the string is taut and the camera is eye-level. This is often surprisingly effective, and you can carry it in a pocket.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[kully]

Those are some grand ideas, I'm trying (some) of them out right now.

I think the caffeine/nicotine might be a factor, the movement I'm seeing is quite jumpy.

I've also noticed that the camera rests on my nose, which is not the least pointy one you've probably seen and acts as a sort of pivot.

 

[Toby]

try tripping the shutter with the first joint in your finger rather than your fingertip, squeeze instead of jab. Also make sure your legs are forming a solid base for your torso something like feet 18" apart

 

[RayPA]

Well sombody else posted this a while ago, and I couldn't resist it. Here is a visual representation of ways to steady yourself (see attached). 😀 😀

🙂

I recommend the position pictured on the right, second one down.

😀

 

[sf]

Shutter tripping is made nice by the RF645's super short electronic release - less than a millimeter probably. Maybe getting a soft release for your camera (if applicable) would help.

Here's an experiement. If your camera has a self timer, set it and just find the shot before the timer goes off - then you won't have to fire the shutter release manually. If would be interesting to see how that effects your shooting.

I might try that tomorrow. Just for fun.

 

[sf]

Well sombody else posted this a while ago, and I couldn't resist it. Here is a visual representation of ways to steady yourself (see attached). 😀 😀

🙂

I recommend the position pictured on the right, second one down.

😀

I like the two on the top right. Very odd.

 

[back alley]

quit drinking?

 

[clarence]

I've given up on shooting at anything slower than the reciprocal of the focal length of the lens I'm using. I also remember how I almost failed my last marksmanship test.

Clarence

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

You can use a small Manfrotto table tripod (model 482), braced against your chest or tree or fence. They work miracles, are light, tiny, and easy to work with (has its own small tripod head attached).

FWIW, Salgado routinely uses a table top tripod in this way. In fact, his is always attached to one of his cameras (his is Leica, of course). good luck

 

[enochRoot]

go to the shooting range and practice up. if you can fire a pistol, a camera is no big deal. i have a lot of 1/2 second shots that came out acceptibly sharp for printing up to 8x10 (no lie). 1/8 or a 1/15 is easy for me. i think it's from target practice. of course...everything mentioned here is correct (and also goes for shooting). probably the most important is using only the last joint of your finger, and just squeezing (not pulling it down). that and avoiding caffeine!!

 

[AOI Photo]

that and avoiding caffeine!!

Thats the part I can't master

 

[bobomoon]

having the right "joint" helps 😉.

 

[kully]

go to the shooting range and practice up. if you can fire a pistol, a camera is no big deal. i have a lot of 1/2 second shots that came out acceptibly sharp for printing up to 8x10 (no lie). 1/8 or a 1/15 is easy for me. i think it's from target practice. of course...everything mentioned here is correct (and also goes for shooting). probably the most important is using only the last joint of your finger, and just squeezing (not pulling it down). that and avoiding caffeine!!

Handguns arn't allowed in the UK - even the Olympic team have to go to Switzerland to practice.

 

[enochRoot]

that's no good. i'm sure air pistols would work just as well. and you could set up a trap in your house!