How you hold your camera may seem like a trivial detail. But experts know that a proper hold and stable body position can result in crisper images. Take a look at this helpful infographic from Digital Camera World to see if you’re holding your camera the right way:
Infographic: How to hold a camera (Via Digital Camera World. Click to see full size.)
Stabilizing your camera with your elbows, maximizing points of contact, adjusting for vertical shots, controlling your breathing, and modifying your stance are just a few of the ways you can achieve sharper photos without using a tripod. Simply take some time to practice these techniques, and they’ll become second nature.
Do you have any other camera holding tricks for getting sharper images?
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I’ve had cameras that gave you a settings choice as to which way portrait mode was oriented in camera. Based on which way you held your camera.. right or left. Soooooooo, it’s really up to you. It’s NOT written in stone.
Seems plausible, while standing in a crowded photography space, you’d poke someone in the head with your elbow, if holding your camera with your elbow out. A very aggressive mannerism.
I don’t know who came up with the idea that having the shutter at the top on a vertical shot would be stable. If you want stability, leave the shutter at the bottom of the camera and your elbow do on your chest instead of having your whole arm flying around in midair if you want stability.
I’m left eye dominant. It have what some would call a large nose and you would think that shutter down would be what I naturally default to but after 14 years it is still very uncomfortable. My nose actually gets in the way sometimes and inadvertently presses buttons on the back of the camera. It’s very frustrating. I’ve since been able to limit this but it still happens so I have be more diligent to ensure my settings aren’t changing. It happens alot less on my 6D due to the large screen.
I agree with Celso & Tania. I too was trained to turn my camera to the right when shooting in portrait orientation (or vertical as we called it). It’s so much more comfortable than the way that this article suggests. Maybe we are just “old school” ;)
Celso: I’ve been wondering the same thing as soon as I saw the picture — what is it with so many photographers turning the shutter up in portrait mode? I started my photography training 18 years ago, and I’ve been automatically turning it down right from the start — same as everybody I ever worked with. It’s as you already said, since your arms are resting against your body that way it’s a lot more stable. Apart from that, it’s also easier on your shoulder. I remember working for a photo studio a while back and we got a system to take passport pictures where the camera was permanently and in a fixed way attached to a tripod with the the shutter up. I hated it, and after a little while I started to get massive problems with my right shoulder — to the point where I couldn’t lift my arm anymore without pain and I had to see a doctor.
Nicoal:
All pieces of advice seem to be correct with the exception of the one when taking a portrait orientation. You say the arms will become twisted up the other away around but this is the contrary! The other way forces your arms to rest against your chest which is far more stable than having one of the arms totally hanging in the air! I didn’t get it!
Thanks.
Bressan