Camera Holding Techniques to Ensure Crystal Clear Photographs
Jan 27th, 2010 by admin
Holding your camera seems like a simple enough thing to do. However, many beginner photographers tend to get this simple thing wrong. They tend to focus their learning on things like composition, camera settings, and photography techniques which are all undoubtedly important. Properly holding a camera is fundamental to each of these and if it is done wrong, will undermine your attempts to produce quality photographs.
Primarily, our goal is to take pictures while reducing any shaking to a minimum. Many otherwise great photos have ended up blurry and distorted because the camera was not held in a stable and steady position. Photoshop can fix many things, but a blurry imaged from shakiness is not one of them. Fortunately, there are a few simple steps you can take to ensure your photos do not get ruined due to a shaky hand.
With your right hand, grasp the right end of your camera. Position your index finger just above the shutter button, and your other fingers comfortably around the front of the camera. Your thumb should be positioned on the back of the camera. Most cameras have indentations or grips to indicate where your fingers should be properly positioned. Your left hand will typically support the camera’s weight and if using an SLR camera, will rest under or around the camera lens.
If you are using your camera’s viewfinder to align your shot, your camera will be closer to your body. This camera position coupled with the grip discussed above will provide excellent stability. If using your camera’s LCD screen to view the image, try to avoid holding the camera too far away from your body. Keep your elbows tucked in tight while holding your camera as close to your face as possible. The farther your camera is from your face, the harder it is to keep it stable.
The next step in the process is to perfect your shooting stance. The best grip in the world will not mean a thing if your legs are shaky and unsteady. Whenever possible, try to use a wall or solid object to lean your body against. Otherwise, kneeling or sitting down will give you more stability. Clearly, you will not be able to kneel or lean in many situations so you will need to remain as stable as you possible can when standing. Keep your feet shoulder apart and your knees slightly bent. Some people like to place one foot in front of the other. Either way, you want to practice your stance as much as possible so that it is comfortable and ultimately stable.
That is really all there is too it. Work on perfecting your grip on the camera and your photographic stance, and instability will not end up ruining your beautiful photographs.
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