Whether previous tests have frustrated or encouraged you, there is still room for improvement. Holding a camera steady is like archery or shooting, and the same techniques athletes use to train their steadiness apply to photography as well. Next, I will tell you how to shoot with a handheld camera in different situations.
hold the camera
Camera handling involves ergonomics, and modern SLR cameras have accumulated enough experience in this area after decades of development. Handheld cameras require a balance of stability and ease of operation. Standing and shooting the body is actually the support of the camera. When standing, the most stable position is with the feet slightly apart, with one foot in front and the ankle of the foot in front slightly outside. Also, keep the camera on the center of gravity of the body, so that the weight falls evenly on both legs, and lean forward slightly.
support
Make the most of any nearby object that can provide support, as long as it is accessible and provides a good viewpoint. For example, using a wall as support, rest your hands, forearms, and head against the wall, and push your outer leg so that your body is steady against the wall. Adrenaline is naturally produced when shooting in stimulating environments. At this time, the body may vibrate and affect the stability of shooting. At this time, it is difficult to do anything to eliminate this physiological reaction. The only way is to calm myself down, such as making some breathing adjustments.
breathe
Slow, regular, deep breaths can improve stability while shooting. Breathing may be exchanged for a short period of stability, but then a big gulp is required.
opportunity
The best time to release the shutter, and therefore the steadiest, is near the end of the exhalation. Moving to the point of view This is a trick offered by the shooter. It uses inertia to counteract shake, especially for telephoto lenses. Slowly move the lens up and down, and when it reaches the point you want to frame, quickly press the shutter. This technique requires a high shutter speed, and the shutter should be pressed lightly, not hard.
special support
Place the camera on or against a nearby stable surface. Doing so may have to consider whether it will affect the composition.
image stabilization system
At present, this technology has been used in many professional lenses. The principle is to connect the micro-motor on the lens with the sensor that detects the movement of the camera. Once the sensor sends out a signal, the micro-motor will drive the lens to move in the opposite direction. These lenses are not cheap, but can increase the safety shutter speed by 2-3 stops.
How to hold the camera
We all know how to hold a camera, everyone has his own habit of holding the camera, and there is no absolute standard way to hold the camera. However, the various grips are variations on the basic grip. The examples here cover how different lenses are held when the camera is held horizontally or vertically. The fewer functions that require finger manipulation, such as focusing or zooming, the more securely you can hold the camera for shooting.Also read:hand grip camera strap
basic grip
1~2. Put your elbows on your chest and let the camera rest firmly on your forehead. Hold the camera with your right hand, holding the camera with all fingers except the index finger which remains flexible. The right palm bears most of the weight of the camera, with the wrist held vertically directly under the camera. With auto focus turned on, use the thumb, middle finger, and ring finger of your left hand to operate the zoom ring. The index finger of the left hand is used to hold the lens, and the pinky is stacked on top of the lens-holding finger of the right hand for extra support.
Use a camera strap for extra support
3~4. This is slightly different from the basic grip and slightly increases stability. This method can be used when the camera strap is very short, hold the camera with the right wrist stretched out and down on the camera strap.
Twist camera strap for support
5~7. This is another variation of the basic grip. The effect is noticeable at slow shutter speeds, though it takes a while to free your hands from the twisting strap afterwards. Tighten the slack of the camera strap around your wrist as shown in the picture until your wrist is snug against the camera.
Use the handle to shoot vertically
1~3. Some SLR cameras have a second shutter button in the corner below the grip. This isn't just for convenience, it allows you to hold the camera vertically with your elbows close to your chest while keeping your forearms vertical. Hold the camera with all fingers of the right hand except the index finger. The left hand holds the camera from below, the index and pinky fingers provide additional support for the lens, and the thumb, middle and ring fingers rest on the zoom ring of the lens.
Hold the camera vertically, with your hands over your shoulders, and use the normal shutter button to shoot
4~6. There are two ways to shoot vertically without a second shutter button. Here is the first one, with the shutter button at the top and the camera held over your shoulder. At this time, the right elbow is stretched out and cannot provide stability for shooting. Therefore, the work of supporting the camera is mainly borne by the left hand. The weight of the camera falls on the left palm, and the left eye remains open normally.
Camera upright, hand below camera, shooting with normal shutter button
7~9. This is the second vertical shooting method when there is only one shutter button, and the shutter button is at the bottom. This grip puts the elbow inward, which can increase the stability of shooting, but the posture of the right hand will be more awkward. One of the solutions is not to drag the camera with the right palm, but let the right fingers hold the camera and attach it to the left palm, transferring part of the weight of the camera to the left hand. At this point the right elbow is close to the chest.
manual focus
1~3. Manual lenses are very rare nowadays, but they can still be found. And when using an autofocus lens, we'd also like to switch to manual focus. This means that your thumb and one or two other fingers need to be free to control the focus ring, leaving the left palm alone to bear the weight of the camera. At this time, the right hand must hold the camera more firmly.
Using a telephoto lens, autofocus shooting, hand holding the front of the lens
4~5. Different telephoto lenses vary greatly in shape and size, which also greatly affects the way to hold the lens. It's a lighter 300mm lens, and it doesn't have a large aperture, so the aperture in front of the lens is also smaller. It is best to use a tripod or monopod when shooting with a telephoto lens. If you want to be more flexible and convenient when shooting, the handheld method is the only choice. The right hand holds the camera firmly in the usual fashion, and the autofocus leaves the left hand free. If the hood is large, you can distribute the weight by holding it. In this example, the left forearm bears the weight of the camera, but there is a problem with the left elbow dangling. At this point, it is also very important to hold the camera firmly to the forehead.
Use a telephoto lens, auto focus shooting, hold the front of the lens with your hand over your shoulder
6~7. This is a variation of the 4~5 grip and my favorite grip. Since the left elbow is still in the air, it is more stable and natural to use the method of holding the front of the camera. When using a telephoto lens, hold the middle and rear of the lens. 8. It is more common to hold the middle and rear of the lens with the left hand and bear the weight of the camera. At this time, the left forearm is vertical and close to the body. Although not very flexible, it can be used as an optional handheld method if manual focus lens or manual lens.
how to press the shutter
This is the most basic technique in photography. It may not be so important, but it is very important. The advice to press the shutter lightly but decisively sounds obvious, but to someone unfamiliar with the camera they are using, there are various reasons not to. They subconsciously think, "Now that the composition and focus are done, let's press the shutter," and they slam the shutter like a slam door. The same thing happens in shooting, if the trigger is not pressed correctly, it will miss the target that has been aimed. As long as you hold the camera according to the techniques mentioned in the previous chapters and keep at least the first two knuckles of your right index finger flexible, there will be no jerky movement when pressing the shutter.
It doesn't take much time to become familiar with shutter operation. Most functions (such as autofocus) are activated when the shutter button is pressed halfway. You can practice this two-stage operation method-press the shutter button halfway to activate its automatic function, and then press it down to complete the shooting.
In situations where the shutter speed is slow and you're not carrying a tripod, there's a trick or two you can apply. Once you hold the camera against a stable object, you can use the Selfie to complete the shot, provided the subject doesn't demand a precise moment in time. Additionally, a remote release is available, which allows you to trigger the shutter without touching the camera.
- Slowly and gently press the shutter to experience the two-stage button. First, press the shutter button halfway to start the camera function, maintain the half-press state (if necessary), and then press it down to complete the shooting.
- Use the Selfie to trigger the shutter automatically.
- With the shutter cable, the pressure of the finger to press the shutter will not be applied to the camera.Also read:int slinger for camera
Convenient waterproof and dustproof measures
Clear plastic bags are great as an easy way to keep out water, snow and dust. It's a bit of a hassle to handle, but at least the camera is protected, and it's fairly quick to make. The plastic bag needs to be large enough to allow room for the camera to operate. Once the lens has a clear view and there is enough room for the camera to operate, the sealing work can be done. Place the camera in a sturdy plastic bag and secure the opening of the bag over the front edge of the lens with a rubber band. After shooting, use the LCD screen to check the image, which is more convenient than using the viewfinder. Another way is to use a large zipper bag with the opening behind the camera and cut a hole in the bag where the lens would be. The advantage of this approach is that you can conveniently operate the camera from the pocket.
- Without the hood, put the camera into the plastic bag with the lens up.
- Leave enough space underneath to operate the camera and tighten the pocket.
- Fasten the cinch pocket to the lens with a rubber band.
- Organize plastic bags.
- Cut a round hole in the plastic bag where the lens is located, and leave a distance of about 1 cm between the edge of the hole and the rubber band.
- Cut off the excess plastic bag.
- Attach the hood.
- Operate the camera through the plastic bag.
Countermeasures in cold weather
Moving a camera from cold to warm places is far more problematic than operating it in sub-zero temperatures. When the camera is brought from a cold location to a warm location, condensation can form, which can damage the camera's electronic components. One solution is to keep the camera indoors or in a car where the temperature is cooler, rather than taking it directly into a warmer area. Another way is to put the camera in a durable plastic bag with as much air out as possible so that the condensation just happens on the outside of the bag and not on the camera. A better method is to put a desiccant, such as silica gel, in the bag.
Moving the camera from a warm place to a cold place, the biggest danger is that the snow that falls on the camera will melt at the joints of the camera or camera parts. When this water recondenses into ice, it may burst the camera element due to expansion. . Also, hot exhaled air can condense, so avoid exhaling into the camera. The solution here is to leave the camera in the bag after arriving at a place with a lower temperature, and wait until the temperature of the camera is about the same as the atmospheric temperature before taking it out for use.
Batteries also become less effective at low temperatures, requiring frequent replacement. The battery will be very low at -4°F (-20°C), and the electrolyte may freeze at a lower temperature (thawing will restore functionality). So carry a spare battery and remember to charge it often. Spare batteries need to be kept somewhere warm, such as in a pants pocket.
- In order to avoid frostbite or skin freezing on the metal parts of the camera, it is best to wear a pair of silk gloves under the cold gloves.
- Some winter gloves have an inner lining that can be revealed when the zipper is unzipped.
- The metal coating of the space blanket can provide an isolated environment for the equipment from the outside world, and it can also be folded into a small volume.
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