How to Reduce Camera Shake - 6 Techniques
In this post photographer Natalie Norton explores 6 ways you can hand hold lenses at low apertures and low shutter speeds and still avoid blurry images caused by camera shake.
I’m a mover and a shaker in general, and this is particularly true when I’m on a shoot. I’m twistin’ and turnin’, climbin’ and jumpin’ and to top it all off, I DO NOT have a steady hand, plain.and.simple.
As often as possible I opt for lenses with VR (Vibration Reduction) or IS (Image Stabilization). You pay a pretty penny for this feature. For me, it’s worth the extra cost, and for the point I’m at in my photography it’s a reasonable expense. But that wasn’t always the case, and what about uber slow shutter speeds with no tripod. No IS or VR can hold up under pressure like that. . .no matter how magical they may be. . . and magical they are, trust you me.
6 Techniques to Reduce Camera Shake
Here are 6 options for avoiding camera shake and achieving crisp, delicious images no matter the length of the lens, no matter the shutter speed.ÂÂ
Shooting wide open? NO PROBLEM; I’ve got your back!! Enjoy!
1. Elbows In
As often as possible pull your elbows in to your body and exhale completely before depressing the shutter. When you’re working with a wide aperture or low shutter speed (or both), even a breath can introduce shake. Pulling your elbows tight to your body can really help keep you steady. I also press my elbows firmly into my chest for even greater stability.
2. Raise Your Left Shoulder….
I am definitely a right eyed photographer, but this tip that I learned from “The Moment It Clicks” by Joe McNally, requires that I shift for a moment to my left eye. What I’m doing here is raising my left shoulder, and bracing my left elbow into my rib-cage (no arrow for this one). For further stability, you can pull your right elbow in to your chest. As always, exhale completely before depressing the shutter to avoid introducing shake.
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3. Create a Tripod With Your Knee
You can create your own tripod by resting your elbow on your knee while in a seated position. Again, bring that other elbow in for greater support.
4. Lay Down
These two images illustrate perhaps the most obvious way to avoid shake without a tripod. Lie flat and let the lens sit directly on the ground. The problem with this is that you’re likely to have quite a downward tilt to the lens and unless you’re aiming to photograph the pavement, you probably won’t end up with the shot you’re hoping for. In the first image you’ll notice that I placed my hand flat against the cement and balanced the lens on top of it to give myself some height. In the second image you’ll see that I created a fist with my hand to give myself even greater height.
5. The Machine Gun Hold
This next technique is sometimes referred to as the machine gun hold. I rarely use this technique as I find it awkward and difficult to maintain for more than a second or two. Just because it doesn’t work for me, doesn’t mean it won’t for you. . . give it a try.
6. Cradle It
In this next image you’ll see that I created a sort of cradle for the lens between my shoulder and my wrist. I also stabilized the hold by balancing my elbow on my knee.
Well there you have it. That’s how I avoid “The Shake” (I’ve named him that because he’s like an evil monster who comes in and ruins my otherwise perfectly delicious images). Please share YOUR tricks and techniques in the comment section below, and as always. . .
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This post was written by photographer Natalie Norton of Oahu, Hawaii. Find more of her work and tutorials at natalienortonphoto.com.
Further Reading on Camera Shake
139 Responses to “How to Reduce Camera Shake - 6 Techniques”
June 24th, 2008 at 12:21 am
Great tips, thank you very much! Here’s a few tips of my own to reduce camera shake.
Put your camera on a steady surface, such as a table, a wall, anything solid that won’t move.
Lean yourself on a wall or a lamppost.
Get closer to your subject, the less you have to zoom, the less your lens will shake.
Cheers, Mathieu
June 24th, 2008 at 12:29 am
Great tips, thank you! Although I love my tripod I don’t always want to have to carry it around so these tips will really come in handy.
June 24th, 2008 at 12:41 am
Here’s a tip I use: Have a small tripod (like a GorillaPod) attached to the camera. Even pressing this against your stomach or chest will stabilize the camera very nicely.
June 24th, 2008 at 12:46 am
What you refer to as the “machine gun” position (I’d call it “foxhole supported” :) ) works well leaning up to something and is very steady. You lean your body up against the wall / side of the car / etc. and drape your left arm and shoulder against the top, pivoting your right shoulder to point the camera. Actually most of these have very much in common with shooting positions except #6, which doesn’t look real steady to me.
June 24th, 2008 at 12:56 am
Er.. get a tripod? =P
June 24th, 2008 at 1:02 am
The tips are good but I think the footing is terrible!
Especially in #1 and #2, the feet should be shoulder width apart..keeping your feet close together as shown in the photo will not stabilize your body from swaying…
June 24th, 2008 at 1:06 am
I’ve used all the techniques mentioned above, except no.6, + tips shared by Mathieau, but I find it more effective to train myself to breathe slower. Jogging, swimming, cycling and other kind of aerobic exercises should be able to help us breathe in slower pace. The best is, of course, yoga.
June 24th, 2008 at 1:23 am
When I’m in need of a slower shutter speed I’ll use my 135 2.8. It’s a shorter lens and not has heavy. I can still get compression and tight shots with little to zero movement. Especially good for events.
I’m not a fan of tri-pods, they are too constricting (unless it’s a long exposure).
Remember, don’t judge a photographer by the size of their lens.
Rosh
http://www.newmediaphotographer.com
June 24th, 2008 at 1:25 am
Also, Her hand seems off. The palm of her hand should be more at the base or even turned other other way. It looks very uncomfortable.
Rosh
http://newmediaphotographer.com
June 24th, 2008 at 1:47 am
Another excellent article! More and more things I can use as I become a better photographer. Thank you.
June 24th, 2008 at 2:04 am
I haven’t tried this yet, but this DIY video seems to offer a good tip for a cheap and easy-to-transport way to increase stability while maintaining flexibility:
http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/01/make-your-own-t.html
June 24th, 2008 at 2:07 am
Another vote for using a wall, a post or something similar and allways have a pocket size tripod on your bag, while not being perfect it’s better than nothing.
June 24th, 2008 at 2:24 am
Things I try include:
- Leaning against a solid surface.
- Digging my arms in, standing with feet apart and exhaling before clicking.
- Also kneeling or squatting with as much contact with a solid surface as possible so as to avoid any swaying or bouncing (#6 looks a bit unsteady to me).
June 24th, 2008 at 2:28 am
I also carry a mini table-top tripod in my camera bag; came in very handy when taking night illumination shots at Mt Rushmore.
June 24th, 2008 at 2:43 am
How does tensing your arms to force your elbows in reduce shake? My hands shake noticeably more if I’m exerting my arms to keep the elbows together, while my upper arms bend back to hold the camera. I don’t get it.
June 24th, 2008 at 2:49 am
Thank you so much!!!! I’m constantly getting the jitter warning - even on my image stabilized lens. I just can’t seem to hold still enough. Plus, I shoot bands in low light contantly, so they’re always moving - I’m always moving - well, you get the picture. These tips will help tons!!
June 24th, 2008 at 3:12 am
Wall, bean bag, arms tucked in are my favorite steadiers. Some of the postions are probably great for those of us not approaching 50 and with an extra 20lb ballast of our own.
June 24th, 2008 at 3:12 am
LOL!
Great advices!
Reminds me of the U.S. Army Sniper training manual :D
Because we are to become sharpshooters ;)
Read the “STEADY POSITION ELEMENTS”:
http://www.sniper-training.com/sniper-marksmanship.htm
June 24th, 2008 at 3:23 am
I use the cam pod - (http://www.cam-pod.com/) when a tripod is to awkward.
June 24th, 2008 at 3:42 am
Great tips. I can’t believe how identical these tips are to shooting a firearm. For any of you who go shooting, these tips are already well ingrained in your muscle memory.
“Shooting” a firearm or a camera requires the same principle of breath control and stability. Now if only my shooting was as accurate as my low-light photography…
June 24th, 2008 at 4:05 am
coool… I might try these out someday.
I use Nikon D60 with VR 18-55 kit lens but I just can’t figure out how the VR works since I still get blurry and shakey images.
anyway great tips and great thanks!
June 24th, 2008 at 4:06 am
One thing that I do to reduce camera shake when I don’t have a tripod is to brace myself against something sturdy and use the self-timer. I found that not having to use my muscle to operate the shutter release allows me to significantly reduce camera movement.
June 24th, 2008 at 4:13 am
I could watch you demonstrate anti-camera shake positions all day.
Bravo on the ultra sexy demo ;)
June 24th, 2008 at 4:25 am
EXCELLENT article. Why use a tripod when you can make a tribod? I don’t like carrying around a tripod for shoots. This is helpful. THANK YOU!
June 24th, 2008 at 4:56 am
I always carry the Joby GorillaPod in my camera bag and find it very useful in lots of situations where a standard tripod would not give me the ideal position (and I hate taking a huge tripod with me…)
June 24th, 2008 at 5:33 am
Natalie,
your article is great and you are awesome! Thanks. Here is my tip: I made a 10-inch long bean bag with 2.5 pounds of navy beans and two socks (one inside the other, double-lined). When I am doing street photography and traveling light, I pack that beanbag into a small fanny pack that I sling around my shoulder. I use this versatile bean bag in a multitude of ways and it works great for me along with all of your tips and the tips of others commenting.
Best,
Geo
June 24th, 2008 at 5:36 am
Before getting my dSLR, I used a medium-sized tripod as a “rifle stock” and shot pictures using the same techniques used in shooting a rifle. Unfortunately that tripod doesn’t work as well with the dSLR (different weight distribution) so I’m back to learning new techniques. The ones presented here will really come in handy.
June 24th, 2008 at 5:41 am
Another technique in conjunction with these tips is to shoot in burst mode and take 3-8 shots. This increases the chance of getting a nice stable shot.
June 24th, 2008 at 6:12 am
great tips, since i’m not fond carrying around a tripod..thanks nat!
June 24th, 2008 at 6:36 am
Wow !!! great tips,
I like the “The Machine Gun Hold” technique most, very helpful and steady.
June 24th, 2008 at 6:55 am
Have you ever thought about something like this?
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1041948/1_image_stabilizer_for_any_camera_lose_the_tripod/
A bolt, a string, and a big washer is all you need for a cheap stabilizer.
June 24th, 2008 at 7:03 am
i’m a big fan of wrapping the camera strap around my hand a good few times to keep the camera close and tight to my head.
also… be aware of your breathing: same techniques as rifle shooting apply: breathe out before taking a shot.
June 24th, 2008 at 7:25 am
Proper breathing and balance as taught in Tai Chi or Yoga makes a huge difference. I do a lot of field camera work for CTV, and can’t always use a tripod. Also I use the old trick of tying a cord around the retaining screw, stepping on the other end of the cord, and pushing up to take away the slack. Works.
June 24th, 2008 at 7:33 am
I like these tips. There is one that is similar to the machine gun hold. Take a medium sized tripod, attach your camera to it, fix it in the position as if you are doing a vertical shot, lock it in place, fold up your tripod with your camera still attached, and hold it in the sniper position (machine gun position) with the tripod over opposite arm. You can also use a monopod. I found this to work best when working steady shots but need to move around alot! Sometimes just setting up a tripod doesn’t work because when you need to move there isn’t time to readjust your tripod!
Nick
June 24th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Natalie you are so, so awesome!
Wrapping the strap tightly around your elbow and wrist can help. Also, leaning against a solid object helps, as well as using a mono pod (a little more convenient than a tripod). Thanks for the tips!
June 24th, 2008 at 10:44 am
Following on from alot of commenters above, I think that an overlooked suggestion for avoiding shake is - “Find something to lean/press/prop yourself against.” A tree, a bench, a lamp-post, a wall, anything that you can brace yourself or your hand, or the lens against will reduce the number of axes you need to actively support the camera/lens in.
Another cheat is to use a String Tripod - http://www.instructables.com/id/String-Tripod/ - it’s basically a piece of cord which you attach to your camera and it gives you something to brace against to again, reduce the axes you have to work in.
June 24th, 2008 at 11:16 am
The machine gun hold is a tough one to get any benefit from with shorter lenses. I found a more effective tip from Scott Kelby’s The Digital Photography Book when hand holding a shorter lens.
The tip was from photographer Joel Lipovetsky and what he termed “The Death Grip.” It involves hand-holding the camera with the strap wrapped around your arm just above the elbow. Then you wrap it around the outside of your wrist and pull it tight. The book includes a photo that makes the idea very clear, but I am unable to load it into the comment section here.
Bottom line though is that it is very effective regardless of what lens you are using.
June 24th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Bad advice starting from photo 1. The feet need to be spread a bit and the left one in front (for right handed people)
try google
June 24th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
I’ve sometimes held the camera with one end jammed up against a wall, doorframe or similar for support, and the strap wrapped around my hand (mostly in case I slip and drop the camera!).
June 24th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
thanks for the tips. I will definitely try this techniques.
June 24th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
My way to reduce lens shake is to increase the mass of camera. So it’s better for example to use light camera with battery grip. Or you can construct additional heavy ballast. I sometimes connect a small bag with several stones to little tripod plate that is attached to my camera beneath. The shape of this plate allows to hang a ballast.
I use this technique in my country house when shooting birds at trees or macro. Actually I like to move from point to point when shooting so tripod is not alway helps me.
I know it will take you some time to construct this but it’s funny. And if there is no another alternatives to reduce camera shake, this solution will help to achieve some sharp images.
June 24th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
I experiments and found one grip that works decently. What you do is hold the grip of the camera in your fist, like a roll of quarters when you want to punch, and trigger with your thumb. Think pistol grip, and use your thumb to fire.
It has the effect of letting you get good pressure on the grip and also trigger with the thumb, the digit that is most appropriate for working 90 degrees off from the rest of the hand. The pressure is good as it has the effect of locking the wrist and stabilizing that joint.
I am loving all of the suggestions. Thanks guys!
June 24th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Hold a point-and-shoot camera against your nose.
June 24th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
An army trained sniper taught me one– shoot (literally for him) while you’re exhaling rather than inhaling, because your body tends to be more still while exhaling. Not as good as leaning on something, but a decent trick in a jam, or with wide to intermediate lenses.
Happy shooting (photographs!)
June 24th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
i’m gonna try these this weekend …
lets see how these positions work for me eh …
thanks for this … appreciated …
June 24th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1041948/1_image_stabilizer_for_any_camera_lose_the_tripod/
June 24th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
“kindly ignore”
ha!
June 24th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Much the same as shooting a gun really. That crouched position with the elbow on the knee is a classic.
June 24th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Great tips!
But tell me, why’d ya score out your bum?!?!
:)
June 24th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
thanks :D great tips
June 24th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
Wow dude, very good tips. very good tips indeed.
JT
http://www.FireMe.to/udi
June 24th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Good stuff! Thanks for sharing. You crack me up!
June 24th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
Great advice, I’d like to add a few.
Breathing is first and foremost. As you squeeze the shutter, exhale gently. This is the same advice as we were given in the Army during shooting training.
Second, just get a beanbag. My wife makes Sage beanbags, but any will work, and set the camera on it, wrap it around a half-rolled down window, on the wet fence, on the side of a rock, use your beanbag, protect your camera.
SHUTTER SPEED. Go faster. Seriously. Set your camera to A/Tv
and crank it to double the focal length. ie; if you are shooting a 100mm lens, set your shutter speed to 1/250. and use your exposure compensation if it’s darker than you like, you can also shoot in RAW/NEF mode and nondestructively adjust the exposure.
I rarely use a tripod and I have a fairly heavy D300 w/70-300mm Sigma on it alot. Pics are on the link above. I shoot from the deck of a moving ferry daily.
-Rick
June 24th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
Here is a great video from youtube done by world famous photographer Joe Mcnally. It explains the camera grip he uses when shooting in the field.
June 25th, 2008 at 12:11 am
Although I am not a professional photographer I was given an old SLR camera, when I was younger, that belonged to my grandfather. In the camera case was a length of string with a washer at one end and a screw at the other end. My father told me that my grandfather used it as a sort of tripod by fastening the screw into the camera base where a tripod would normally be fastened and then he held the string taught by putting his foot onto the washer and pulling the string tight by raising the camera to his eye. This would help to steady the camera so he could take better pictures.
June 25th, 2008 at 12:15 am
A collapsible monopod really comes in handy, and its pretty portable. Good tips, but you might need some therapy about your self-esteem issue concerning your butt.
June 25th, 2008 at 12:19 am
Use the shutter timer function found in most cameras. I have found that pressing the shutter release button often introduces unnecessary shake.
June 25th, 2008 at 12:50 am
Uh, what’s up with the red scribble marks over your bum?
June 25th, 2008 at 12:52 am
Thanks for the great tips everyone! I’m a newbie, and need all the help I can get!!:)
June 25th, 2008 at 12:53 am
I found this bean bag stabilizer online.
http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000C1ZDWW/103-4325997-7434250?SubscriptionId=02ZH6J1W0649DTNS6002
However, being a cheapskate, I discovered that you can make one yourself very cheaply. I believe one of the other commentors mentioned it.
You can also often find these cheap beanbags in toy departments.
http://www.amazon.com/Spectrum-Canvas-Beanbags-Pk-12/dp/B00017PH0A/ref=pd_sbs_t_2
ShannonS
June 25th, 2008 at 1:17 am
Those are GREAT!
I have pretty shaky hands, and there will be times where I just don’t pull out the camera (like low light) because I know I just can’t make the shot work and I don’t have a tripod.
I’ll give these a shot!
June 25th, 2008 at 1:43 am
The behavior that causes the most camera shake (most of the time) is actually pressing the button. Hook a remote up to your camera and use that instead (as you can just squeeze it and press with your thumb). Reduces a lot of camera shake.
June 25th, 2008 at 3:30 am
Thanks for your tips. Who needs a tripod now? ;)
June 25th, 2008 at 3:44 am
Very cool! Thanks for the tips. I’ve used a couple of these, but didn’t know the others. Learn something new every day! :)
June 25th, 2008 at 4:20 am
Don’t forget: Stop Drinking
June 25th, 2008 at 4:28 am
Great Tips!
June 25th, 2008 at 4:30 am
Ohh almost forgot. Another good tip is a wired or wireless shutter release. Prop your camera onto a solid surface or a tripod and being snapping away with 0 shake :)
June 25th, 2008 at 4:50 am
I completely agree with Jason on the bolt, string, washer method, see http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1041948/1_image_stabilizer_for_any_camera_lose_the_tripod/
June 25th, 2008 at 5:43 am
I’ve heard that holding your elbows firmly against your sides, taking a shoulder-width stance, and holding the viewfinder right up against your eye is a good way to go. I think that would be more effective and more comfortable than holding your elbows together or in front of you.
June 25th, 2008 at 5:49 am
This is fantastic info.
Nate
June 25th, 2008 at 9:36 am
great tips, i always use my riends shoulder as a very flexable and adjustable tripod
June 25th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
I’ve seen POD beanbags, but one day I had to go out without one, and I just brought along a face towel which is moldable into different shapes/heights, and soft enough for my camera to sit snugly on. Only catch is that you have to find a surface with the height you desire.
With a two-second delay for each shot, you get a nice image, just like if you used a tripod.
June 25th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Thanks to DPS for the techniques. I have already giving teaching these techniques to my students so that they can shoot a grwt picture without any shaking error. Finally these are really great tips.
Thanks again.
June 25th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
I notice many stance techniques here but the best solution I have found is to ALWAYS shoot in burst mode. You take say 6 shots…one of them is going to be the best you can get. It has improved my success rate immensely.
June 25th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
One and all:
Trust you me. . . no one needs a near full frame eye full of my tooshie. :)
N
June 25th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Cool tricks… Great post I will try few of this positions. Thanks for the high quality posts that you write here in your blog
Paulo Jordao
http://www.paulopics.com
June 25th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
I wrap the camera strap around my arm/elbow and then tension this when I push the camera forward. It’s remarkably steady and definitely worth a try as you already have it attached to the camera.
June 25th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
I have found my Lowepro AW200 slingshot makes a handy rest when pulled to the front of me. i use it while kneeling and standing to rest my arms on.
June 25th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Wow,
that was a very good demonstration !!!!! very helpful too.
June 25th, 2008 at 11:43 pm
Another option, if you haven’t got a dSLR already buy a Pentax or other brand that has IS in the body.
I have a Pentax K10D with a 22 year old manual focus 50mm lens, hey presto it has IS because it is included in the body.
Fantastic lens for lowlight portrait work.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:58 am
Excellent again, well done.
June 26th, 2008 at 8:14 am
Thank you very much for theese helpful tutorials!
Cheers!
June 26th, 2008 at 8:50 am
This was another great article, thanks. Not sure I’d be too comfortable with the elbows in, but I’m gonna try it just to see! Anything to help be steadier!
June 26th, 2008 at 10:08 am
The problems we all have to deal with…
It boils down to a couple of things, which can be oversimplified into breathing, stance, and trigger control.
The stances above are good, for the most part. Get a solid “weld” between every contact point between your camera and the ground. (Try to get your hand in a supporting position rather than a gripping position).
Breathing is tough, and it takes understanding your own body. Try to take several slow breaths if you have the time to slow your heartrate, and then exhale normally. You can squeeze the shutter release when you’re exhaling, but optimally, pause when your lungs reach equilibrium, and then squeeze.
I’m not sure how this would work with a camera, but try to squeeze with your entire hand, and not just the finger that’s on the shutter release.
Look on the bright side, people - you don’t have to deal with recoil, muzzle flash, and hot bits of metal flying out of various parts of your camera. At least, I hope not. :)
June 26th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Great tips!
A small and flexible tripod like the Gorillapod also works wonders ;)
June 26th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
For those curious about why “elbows in”…I tried it out and I could be wrong but I think this is how it works:
The elbows in form a tight triangle(obviously)– tighter than elbows out which creates too much motion. Try doing it with your arms now sitting there in front of your computer. Elbows out. Elbows in. Feel the difference in stability?
When you pull your elbows into your chest (as Natalie said to do) you stabilize. You’ve now created a what??? A quick human tripod. It might not work for all (cause it is kind of awkward) but with a little practice I think it will pay off.
Simple. Brilliant.
June 27th, 2008 at 6:51 am
Fantastic tips!
Leaning against something steady is great, but if you don’t have something solid nearby:
-lean against your husband/partner.
-Keeping feet shoulder width apart is also a great tip.
-a car roof, wall, lamp post, tree trunk, side of a building, post box etc.
June 27th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Great advice - especially for a very, very, new person to the industry!! These are just options. Find what works best for you and work it!
Thanks again!!
June 27th, 2008 at 11:13 am
I’m not a photog, but i read an article where a guy (or gal i forget) got a bolt the same size as the tripod mount, then tied it to a piece of string, keeping this in his pocket he (or she) could just screw it in then step on the string pull tight and shoot. seems like that would work good too.
June 27th, 2008 at 11:15 am
here’s a link to a how-to:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~wiskerke/artikelen/string.html
June 27th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Instead of modifying position you can modify equipment, a nice trick I have learned is to use a bolt, washer, and some twine to reduce shake in place of a tripod, I got the dea from here.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1041948/1_image_stabilizer_for_any_camera_lose_the_tripod
June 27th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
The connection there seems to be between firing a gun and shooting a camera is hilarious to me! Who’d a thunk it eh? But it really does make perfect sense! Wow!
Thanks everyone for sharing! Great tips all around!
Natalie
June 28th, 2008 at 1:00 am
another couple of tips:
keep your feet apart at shoulderwidth.
LEAN against things, if possible.
I like to breath in before taking a picture, instead of breathing out. That way, my body doesn’t start “panicking” when I need to stay still for a few seconds more. The brain has a function in which it releases adrenaline and whatnot when you stop breathing for too long, trying to force you to grasp for air. That brain-struggle might make you shake.
Also the beating of your heart can cause motion, so be sure not to take pictures when your heart is beating like a mad man. with a lot of practice, you can learn to listen to your body and make shots in between heart beats (not when you’re using long shutterspeed of course)
June 28th, 2008 at 1:34 am
She looks like a sniper!!!
June 28th, 2008 at 2:06 am
i fapped to the pics
June 28th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
I use a bolt that screws in where the tripod does with a string that I can stand on. Keep upward pressure. Works great for video too. Easier to carry than a tripod and can be used in any position. Well almost any.
June 28th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
There is another cool way, which I stumbled upon! Have a look and give it a try!
http://tinyurl.com/5c96o4
June 28th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
HA. typical woman to worry how her ass looks on an anonymous post. im sure its a beautiful bottom :)
June 29th, 2008 at 4:43 am
The string thing Bill mentioned works and is extremely portable.
I saw it on Lifehacker
http://tinyurl.com/23abop
June 29th, 2008 at 4:45 am
I see Vijeh posted it directly above too.
Must be good to get so many posts.
June 29th, 2008 at 8:55 am
You are hot. And no, I could not ignore it…
June 30th, 2008 at 1:41 am
Hi thank you for the great tips, it must be good for your posture to this camera yoga. My one tip is to have a piece of string tied around the lens and a loop for the foot, then make the string tight i.e. make sure the string is just shorter than the length between foot and when camera is upto your eye.
Once setup you can just roll it up and place in pocket.
Take care of you and yours.
June 30th, 2008 at 11:11 am
hey RETARDS !
Try using a TRIPOD or MONOPOD to reduce camera shake !!!!!
Its the best camera investment you will ever make.
June 30th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Wow Jeans.. nice comment idiot.
Anyway, in the vein of those who tie a piece of string to their camera, there’s a slightly easier way to do it.
http://www.instructables.com/id/1-Image-Stabilizer-For-Any-Camera—Lose-The-Trip/
Still involves string, but attaches to the tripod mount of your camera and helps out a LOT.
July 1st, 2008 at 12:33 am
This is funny because I have an article on my blog that details all reason why I shot might not be sharp with the EXCEPTION of camera shake. I guess reading both articles could only help:
http://megapixelicio.us/2008/05/5-reasons-why-your-shots-are-not-sharp.html
July 1st, 2008 at 5:53 am
Thanks for the tips, Natalie!
I’m photographing mostly small creatures (insects, spiders, snakes, lizards etc.), so the obvious (and nauseating) advice - use a tripod! - doesn’t really work for me.
I’ll keep in mind some of your suggestions and I also have my own techniques to avoid camera shake:
1. I try to lean against a tree, when one is available
2. When possible, I try to rest my camera on an object (rock, stump, fence etc.) rather than hold it
July 1st, 2008 at 2:07 pm
You can attach one end of a long string to where a tripod attaches and put a washer on the other. Then just step on the washer and pull up on the string.
dunno if I would want to attach it to the lens.
July 1st, 2008 at 7:27 pm
I especially emphasize technique 6. By holding the body with my right hand and gripping the lens firmly with my left, I find I can take clear photos at 1/25, with a 50mm lens on a 1.6-crop body. If that doesn’t work, I like laying on the ground (4), holding my breath, or leaning against a tree.
Great article, and the demonstration photos are entertaining.
July 3rd, 2008 at 3:59 am
Thanks! I hate it when i have to take thousands of shots just bc i can’t get rid of the shakes. Will try
July 3rd, 2008 at 2:03 pm
What is the deal with these pictures from the 1950’s? Is your training program that old? Shouldn’t you update your program so that it seems more credible?
July 4th, 2008 at 2:14 am
I was going to mention the string to the foot method but I see there are already several links to the video in multiple locations including the one on instructables.
My favorite technique though is to use my little (3″ bendable legs) tripod and brace it against walls, poles, trees etc… I find this especially useful when hiking but I never carry my camera anywhere without it.
July 7th, 2008 at 12:52 am
Get a piece of string about 5′ long. Tie one end to a large washer and the other to a 1/4 - 20 screw, about 1″ long. Roll it up and put it in your bag. When you need a tripod, screw the screw into the camera tripod socket, drop the washer and stand on it. Stretch the string tight and use position #1 above.
Also, I’d like to see your ass please.
July 8th, 2008 at 4:14 am
Great ideas. Thanks for another brilliant piece. And trust you me, I would have deleted my bootie as well!
July 8th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
here’s a stabalizer… a screw, a piece of string and a weight. cut the string to the length of your to to your eye, tie a weight to one end and the screw to the other. screw it into your camera, drop the weight to the ground and the string pulled past loose should stabalize your shot quite nicely.
July 9th, 2008 at 11:01 am
My mother, a professional photographer, always told me to take a deep breath, then let out just a bit of air, and then steady yourself and shoot.
July 9th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
Following on from some of the comments about the feet position….wouldn’t flat shoes provide a more stable posture than heels?
July 10th, 2008 at 10:33 am
The main advice seems to find an awkward position. That’s fine, I often lie on the ground to shoot from the bottom up to give a sense of grandeur.
July 11th, 2008 at 6:07 am
Hi
Love the tips - still as you’re willing to lie on the ground I’d just as soon include walls, trees, lamposts and all those other tripod substitutes out there. Anything to stop people shaking their digicams resonates with me.
July 15th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Fantastic tips my friend
I have a canon 100-400mm and sometimes I dont have a tripo. with me.
your tips will help a lot
thanks
July 19th, 2008 at 1:04 am
sometimes better not to use heavy camera, but only on special events. 20% of all suits you don’t have to..
August 6th, 2008 at 11:08 am
I like your tips, but i wish you hadnt covered up her bottom, i bet it would be beautiful. :)
August 7th, 2008 at 3:58 am
Haha i think the tooshie wouldnt have been such a bad addition but maybe thats just me ;]
August 7th, 2008 at 4:10 am
@jim: Win
August 10th, 2008 at 5:30 am
I’ve been a phoptographer all my life and I can assure you that the best way to avoid camera shake, even at hight shutter speeds, is a tripod.
August 21st, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Excellent tips! I must say that I have always had trouble framing shots and they often end up out of focus. I can see that your advice is going to help a lot!
September 7th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
Since last 15 years Iam working as a commercial photographer.Sometimes carring heavy tripod with you for a shoot where you have to move fast from one viewpoint to another,is bit difficult.Your tips are great in such situations.With the help of such tips, photography becomes faster,quicker,easier.One can definatly try these tips to avoid use of tripod, but for long exposures one have to use tripod.
September 15th, 2008 at 1:08 am
Typically I just use my tripod.
But nice trips and will definitely give it a try.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:22 am
I think the bulk of my camera shake would be eliminated if I gave up alcohol. But that seems a step too far.
Useful tips, thanks.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:17 am
Hey, great stuff here!
I’ve found that if the situation permits, a tripod really helps eliminate camera shake. And NO I don’t mean putting it on the tripod and sitting it down on the ground. I mean screw the cam onto the tripod, fold up the legs, and use the tripod as a steadicam weight!
http://www.divideconcept.net/dump/fx1-sd9-steadicam.jpg
I realize this refers to video cameras, but there’s no reason it couldn’t help still cameras either.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:23 am
Also found this:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1041948/1_image_stabilizer_for_any_camera_lose_the_tripod/
November 14th, 2008 at 3:53 am
Would I get in too much trouble for noting that as a wife, a mom, and a photographer…that you’re kinda hot?
January 1st, 2009 at 6:11 am
Some great tips although not sure about tips 1 & 2, shouldn’t they be combined to give a good stance and then lock elbow against body to keep everything tight?
January 1st, 2009 at 6:52 am
I have very shaky hands. Always have, since long before I discovered cameras. I’ve found that in tricky situations, I can lean on anything at all, even a small branch, for support. The trick is to hook the little finger of the right hand around the branch or whatever. My hand stabilizes the branch, the branch stabilizes my hand. Shouldn’t work, but it does.
Of course, if there’s anything solid in the vicinity, I will lean on that. Or hug it, with my left arm.
January 2nd, 2009 at 2:56 am
It is obvious but ignored.
I have noticed that I now shake more as my abs, glutes and posterior decline in quality. So if you want steadier pictures, get in shape.
January 2nd, 2009 at 7:25 pm
I usually use Technique #1, but I notice that your model’s got a wrong position. It should be better if both her feet should be far apart from each other. That way it’s more stable.
February 25th, 2009 at 10:20 am
Thanks for the great article. Most comments show that people do use various techniques already, and I loved the tips listed above. I have used various as well, my favourite remaining tho touching a solid surface, like a tree when outdoors, or lamp post, with the camera if possible or with the elbow/shoulder.
But a question, maybe subject for a new thread: what about IS or VR (I have IS)? My experiences are not too good, or I may not know what to expect. Except for the point of focus, there seems to be added blur to the rest of the picture if the subject is in motion. If not in motion, why IS/VR at all? Any other experiences ? The few articles found on this site are neutral (ie: you can use one) or rather negative : Here . Huh ?
May 8th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
In recent years, my “steady hand” has become not so steady. I don’t always remember to cart around my tripod, but I have become best friends with my cameras 2 second timer. I set the camera on anything stable and steady. Use twigs or a plastic grocery bag to raise the lense for proper framing. Set the timer. Hit the button and you have a nice steady shot. Especially good for improvised macro work!
May 13th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
Great tips! Thanks a lot! I noticed though that she is not using any camera sling while doing all this positions. Or just to better show the type of hold the sling was removed.
June 15th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Thanks for the tip, much appreciated. This is very useful to know, esp. if shooting in a crowded/restricted area where you CANNOT bring a tripod. I have 2 which I use, one big and one small, plus a monopd, but sometimes, I can’t use either if I am limited in what I can carry so its worth practising these positions just in case you cannot bring a tripod, or monopod with you.
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