What’s Your Preference?

GTAltman · #1 (**permalink**) 03-03-2011, 11:16 PM

Gents (and of course, Ladies),

I'm not sure WHERE this goes or belongs, so I'm thinking this is the catch all.

I'm looking for some tips or tricks on shooting into the wind.

Here's my story:
Today, a funeral procession was making it's way through our county for a resident who was a USMC Corporal that was KIA by an IED in Afghanistan. I set up my tripod, dropped (okay....gently placed) the camera on the tripod but was really nervous because we were faced with 15-20 mph winds. I felt the camera was secured but not 100%. I took my camera bag and attached it to the hook on the middle pole of the tripod. I was MUCH more comfy.

I felt I had to go over this part of the story because I wasn't looking for answers to the above, but rather to this next part....

How do you stabilize you and your camera to take focused pictures and not be tormented by said wind? Do you shoot in burst mode hoping to beat the wind by the Spray and Pray method? Up the shutter speed to freeze "the action", or some other theory I haven't thought about.

I believe I shot today in AP (to control the focal point) while I worried about shutter speed.

The link for a few shots is here for the curiousity minded, not for critique (I'm open to it, but that's not the purpose).

(wish I would have gotten the entire hearse)

Thanks well in advance!

Gary

OsmosisStudios · #2 (**permalink**) 03-04-2011, 06:35 AM

In daytime like that, your shutter speed will be such that you likely wont have to worry about. I'd have shot those handheld to be honest.

RichardTaylor · #3 (**permalink**) 03-04-2011, 06:55 AM

+ 1 for hand held.
or
I would be using a mono pod if I was using a long lens, with my left hand on top of the lens hood to stabilise it. My shutter speed would have been relatively high if I was not using an image stabilised lens.

(1) Similar technique to the photographer in the foreground.

GTAltman · #4 (**permalink**) 03-04-2011, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

In daytime like that, your shutter speed will be such that you likely wont have to worry about. I'd have shot those handheld to be honest.

Thanks for the response. I could have (handheld). The reason I didn't was because I wanted to get the camera low to the ground when taking them. I think the camera and tripod were about 30" off the ground. So, out of simplicity, I set that up, crouched, and aimed to start off on.

Turns out you are 100% right because as the procession approached I was aiming at different things (front of procession), middle bunches of bikes, last set of first responders, etc.

God willing there won't be a next time.

As for the initial question (and to keep this on topic), would shutter speed being increased matter when zoomed all the way out as well. And I'm begining to think now that this is a stupid question because if you can't hold a lens steady you'll get unfocused pics on a calm day....

Don't you love it when you answer your own question - thus making the point of asking the question moot?

Thanks again Osmosis.

Gary

GTAltman · #5 (**permalink**) 03-04-2011, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichardTaylor

+ 1 for hand held.
or
I would be using a mono pod if I was using a long lens, with my left hand on top of the lens hood to stabilise it. My shutter speed would have been relatively high if I was not using an image stabilised lens.

(1) Similar technique to the photographer in the foreground.

Thanks Richard for the response.

Two votes for handheld, One for Monopod. :-)

I could have mono'ed with my tri (just using one leg) as 1) I don't have one and 2) didn't think of that. Looking back, it makes PERFECT sense. Instead of kneeling and crouching as if I was practicing yoga, I could have sat down, brought the monopod in and probably gotten even lower.

Awesome catch and tip. Thanks!!!

Gary

OsmosisStudios · #6 (**permalink**) 03-04-2011, 03:06 PM

GTAltman: I've only used a tripod when it was necessary for long exposures. If I need to get down low, I sit, kneel, or lie down. Yes, even on vacation

As for your question: Your shutter speed should go up (ie faster speed) as you zoom into something (increase in focal length). The general rule is 1/focal length for your shutter speed. So, at 200mm you should be using a 1/200 shutter speed. The trick with this is that it affects as you move out: On my 10-24, I can shoot handheld as low as 1/15 of a second or so (there are limits to how steady you can be).

Your assumption is correct: if you cant keep steady, your images will look out of focus (they'll be blurry).

GTAltman · #7 (**permalink**) 03-04-2011, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

GTAltman: I've only used a tripod when it was necessary for long exposures. If I need to get down low, I sit, kneel, or lie down. Yes, even on vacation

As for your question: Your shutter speed should go up (ie faster speed) as you zoom into something (increase in focal length). The general rule is 1/focal length for your shutter speed. So, at 200mm you should be using a 1/200 shutter speed. The trick with this is that it affects as you move out: On my 10-24, I can shoot handheld as low as 1/15 of a second or so (there are limits to how steady you can be).

Your assumption is correct: if you cant keep steady, your images will look out of focus (they'll be blurry).

Osmosis,

Thanks once again. I didn't know about the 1/Focal Length "theory". Makes some sense. I think I was at 300mm and was around 250. I'd have to check the EXIF's to be sure. I'm still on the "look" and feel.

Right now this is a nice recreational hobby for me. What I mean by recreational is that I haven't invested over $1,000 (yet!). There are TONS of things I want. It'll turn into a serious hobby when the wife will allow me to spend almost $7000 on a lens I can use for shooting sports at an ISO that doesn't have 4 digits in it :-D

As Gibbs says to Vance, "Working on it!" (NCIS reference)

Regards,
Gary