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10-13-2022, 07:52 PM - 11 Likes   #1
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Clackers' Beginners Tip 43: Handholding Cameras

Good morning, all. Yesterday, I saw an ad that said, 'Radio For Sale, $1, Volume Stuck On Full'.

I thought, 'I can't turn that down'.

I do love different philosophies.

The Bible and the Quran both tell us to love one another.

It's just that the Kama Sutra is a little more specific.

This week, I want to talk about holding a camera. I do see people shooting with their elbows away from their bodies and a death grip with their right hand on the camera itself (murderous with heavy lenses).

In fact, no grip's ever needed with correct technique - the weight of either the body or the lens is entirely taken by your left hand with a powerful straight forearm and elbow tucked into your torso.

The right hand should be loose, fingers and thumbs brushing lightly to operate the buttons and dials, and with the eyesocket pressed into the viewfinder, you should be able to remove your right hand completely to get a phone call and *nothing* moves.

By adopting a rifle shooter's technique of twisting and positioning, you can lock your body so it can't sway as you take your photos. I did attempt fencing at university for a brief time, and while my foil, epee and sabre never got past my laughing instructors, I can still lunge forward on one knee as necessary to take a camera shot knowing it's impossible for the camera to move forward any further.

Good article on this very forum discussing shooter's techniques by a US Army infantryman, BTW:

Making the Most of Long Exposure Handhelds - Introduction - In-Depth Articles

Credit for picture below is from the good article at PixelPluck: How to Hold the Camera Properly - Photography Tips

Note that the handholding technique copes perfectly well with portrait as well as landscape mode, and for anything from a pancake 40mm to the DA* 560mm.

https://i0.wp.com/.../uploads/2017/03/camera-grip-tips.jpg

To finish with, there's the story of the New York attorney representing a wealthy art collector called and asked to speak to his client.

"Saul, I have some good news and I have some bad news."

The art collector replied, "You know, I've had an awful day, Jack, so let's hear the good news first."

The lawyer said, "Well, I met with your wife today, and she informed me that she has invested only $5,000 in two very nice pictures that she thinks will bring somewhere between $15 and $20 million... and I think she could be right"

Saul replied enthusiastically, "Holy cow! Well done! My wife is a brilliant business woman, isn't she? You've just made my day. Now, I know I can handle the bad news. What is it?"

The lawyer replied, "The pictures are of you and your secretary..."


Find the rest of the series here: Clackers' Beginners Tips (Collected) - PentaxForums.com




10-14-2022, 12:12 AM - 2 Likes   #2
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This is advice I have followed ever since I got my first SLR, in 1969. Even nowadays, when age is taking its toll, the technique means that a high percentage of my shots are OK. I so often see people with a long-ish lens (say up to 200) holding the camera body with both hands, while the lens waves about in the breeze like a fireman's hose - even more bizarre when they are using Live View. I also try to support the lens/body combo at the point of balance - this, combined with pressing the eyepiece firmly against my glasses, helps me. As we all know, a tripod is also a great help in keeping the camera steady - most of my photography is done while I am out birding, so I always have my scope on a tripod, and it is a simple matter to swap scope and camera, using QR plate on each. Hand-holding my 150-500 is not an option for me, as everything shakes, so that always goes on the tripod - I envy people I see on YouTube, competently hand-holding a super-long lens at night and obtaining perfect images. BTW, you may have covered this before, but another piece of advice I recall is to make sure that the shutter speed is high enough - I try to use the reciprocal of the longest focal length on a zoom, so with my 55-300 on ASPC I go to 1/500 or shorter. Thanks for the reminder, anyway.
10-14-2022, 12:34 PM - 1 Like   #3
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Yep, that must be the best article I've ever read about handheld shooting, by a considerable margin, almost like a revelation, and it didn't just click with me because I'm from a soldier family:

Making the Most of Long Exposure Handhelds - Introduction - In-Depth Articles

Alex just nailed it. He understood that what he learned in the army about holding a rifle steady and on target must apply to handholding a camera in difficult situations. (Same goes for archery and similar pursuits.) And he took the time and dedication to share his knowledge and skill. I'm still deeply grateful for that, the kind of content you only find on these forums, I guess.
10-14-2022, 01:59 PM - 1 Like   #4
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When I started using "Medium Format" in 1991, I understood a tripod is the stablest structure in the Universe. I bought the heaviest device I could find to bring outside in the field and I have never looked back since (your subject is always in front of you, anyway).






10-14-2022, 02:37 PM - 1 Like   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by RICHARD L. Quote
When I started using "Medium Format" in 1991, I understood a tripod is the stablest structure in the Universe. I bought the heaviest device I could find to bring outside in the field and I have never looked back since (your subject is always in front of you, anyway).

A sturdy tripod, intelligently used, is just about the most solid platform you could want as a photographer. For some photographic endeavours it is a must, but for others it kills flexibility and spontaneity. With compact medium format cameras like the new Hasselblad X2D 100C arriving, which is said to have very effective image stabilization, even such larger-sensor cameras are becoming more interesting for handheld shooting.
10-14-2022, 03:36 PM - 1 Like   #6
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I wonder how much of an issue this was before automatic lenses. You need your hand on the old lenses for both aperture and focus. The design was even made so you can support the lens and operate it. Another advantage to learning on an old Pentax m 50mm. It trains you to be responsive IN the right position.

The focus throw on my Takumar f/4 is so extreme that it takes its own skill like playing scales, you need to walk your fingers around the lens. It is also hard to tuck your left elbow in when aiming at the tops of trees.
10-14-2022, 08:57 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by clackers Quote
This week, I want to talk about holding a camera. I do see people shooting with their elbows away from their bodies and a death grip with their right hand on the camera itself (murderous with heavy lenses).

In fact, no grip's ever needed with correct technique - the weight of either the body or the lens is entirely taken by your left hand with a powerful straight forearm and elbow tucked into your torso.

The right hand should be loose, fingers and thumbs brushing lightly to operate the buttons and dials, and with the eyesocket pressed into the viewfinder, you should be able to remove your right hand completely to get a phone call and *nothing* moves.

By adopting a rifle shooter's technique of twisting and positioning, you can lock your body so it can't sway as you take your photos. I did attempt fencing at university for a brief time, and while my foil, epee and sabre never got past my laughing instructors, I can still lunge forward on one knee as necessary to take a camera shot knowing it's impossible for the camera to move forward any furthe
There is another consideration though. We are all different and one position doesn't suit everyone. I find the recommended hold requires, for me, an uncomfortable unnatural twisting of my wrist. I have thus always used the style in picture one, resting weight of the lens in the crutch of my thumb. It works for me, as with a 50mm lens I can successfully shoot at 1/15 sec. holding my breath and keeping my arms in. Additionally, it is easier (for me) to rotate lens adjustments this way. The right hand anchors the camera against my face.

10-15-2022, 03:58 AM - 1 Like   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by arnold Quote
There is another consideration though. We are all different and one position doesn't suit everyone.
I agree with this one.
Also very important is how one breathes when taking the shot.

Some people prefer to hold their breath after exhalation, for me it is the opposite: Exhalation and then holding my breath works best for me.
It is the same with for example archery, you can actually see how the tip of the arrow moves with the heartbeat at times:
Least when the air is out of the lungs:
Usually this is the best way because full lungs transmit vibrations.
Second best when breathing out. With good enough training one can actually use the exhalation for a good shot by "resting in that calm movement".
With time one can sense that a good long (but not exaggerated) exhalation works like a cushion for the body and holding the camera/lens.

Then the logic of "no bone on bone" can be observed: If one is in kneeling position, of course ellbow on knee seems the obvious comfortable position but if the lower arm rests against the knee one has a muscle as a cushion. If ellbow on knee, quite easy to observe again the transmission of the heartbeat!

Same for standing, one leg up for support: Again ellbow on knee not ideal. Or use "kneelos"
10-15-2022, 04:10 AM - 2 Likes   #9
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I had a few health issues recently and I found taking pictures while leaning on the window frame of my Mazda 5 permits me to take "almost" long exposure without shaking too much. One example : picture taken with my 645Z + P67 75 mm f/2.8 @ 1/6 sec and f/4. Not "tack sharp", but not bad either. One can use the frame of a door or of a window to achieve similar results with heavy cameras.

10-15-2022, 05:02 AM - 2 Likes   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by Madaboutpix Quote
Yep, that must be the best article I've ever read about handheld shooting, by a considerable margin, almost like a revelation, and it didn't just click with me because I'm from a soldier family:

Making the Most of Long Exposure Handhelds - Introduction - In-Depth Articles

Alex just nailed it. He understood that what he learned in the army about holding a rifle steady and on target must apply to handholding a camera in difficult situations. (Same goes for archery and similar pursuits.) And he took the time and dedication to share his knowledge and skill. I'm still deeply grateful for that, the kind of content you only find on these forums, I guess.
100% agree! I'd never seen that article before, so a million thanks to Ian for linking it. I thought I had pretty good technique already, but I certainly learned more than a tip or two. Gosh so much grat advice and supported by the reasoning behind it, with the pics making it clearer.

I've identified some improvements I can make to both my stance elbow position when shooting BiF with a heavy lens thanks to Ian's thread and links!
10-15-2022, 07:26 AM - 2 Likes   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by clackers Quote
Good article on this very forum discussing shooter's techniques by a US Army infantryman, BTW:
QuoteOriginally posted by Madaboutpix Quote
Alex just nailed it. He understood that what he learned in the army about holding a rifle steady and on target must apply to handholding a camera in difficult situations.
The techniques published by Alex Jansen were also featured in his article in c't Digital Photography, Issue 10 (Winter 2013), starting on page 68: https://ftp.heise.de/ct/sonderhefte/us-photo/ct_digital_photography_10_2012_usa.zinio.pdf

I happen to have a print version of this issue, and go back to the article occasionally to learn or review tips and techniques.

- Craig

Last edited by c.a.m; 10-15-2022 at 07:35 AM.
10-16-2022, 09:21 PM - 1 Like   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by arnold Quote
I find the recommended hold requires, for me, an uncomfortable unnatural twisting of my wrist.
Since an open hand is natural, you must be holding at an awkward angle.

With the recommended hold, the fingers are pointing up anyway, so don't be afraid to have the backs of your knuckles less at the ground but more towards the target.

You will find that your hand is actually angled upwards, rather than perpendicular to the ground, and as any piano player or typist knows, the wrist is now a healthy extension of your forearm angle.

That forearm is vital, Arnold. If the camera and lens weight is not going through it like a pillar, they are acting on your wrists, which is bad enough with a 50mm lens, crippling with a telephoto.
10-20-2022, 04:45 AM - 1 Like   #13
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Shooting with smaller primes, I allow the quick release plate that lives on the bottom of my camera to rest between the fingers and thumb of my left hand, with both arms loose and relaxed. Wouldnt work for longer, heavier lenses, though.
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