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Holding the Camera

"First Things First"

If you are not holding the camera correctly you are unlikely to take Better Photographs.

I cannot remember how many times friends have shown me their photos and one or two of them have been blurred. They usually tell me that it was because the subject moved or that they did not have a very good camera or that the shutter speed was too slow.

Almost always, this is not the case.

It’s usually because …..

Holding the Camera

….. the camera was not steady!

With the exception of those occasional photos when you want to create an artistic effect or convey a sense of movement with a slight blur, it is important to keep the camera steady.

Most photographs can be taken handheld without a tripod and they will turn out pin sharp. To increase your chances of achieving this try -

- Making sure you are comfortable.

- Holding the camera in a way that keeps your elbows against your body or resting on a firm surface.

- Using a shutter speed that is as fast as the focal length of the lens. For example - use 1/100 sec or faster for a 100 mm lens (or a lens that is zoomed to 100 mm).

- Squeezing the shutter release with your finger whilst keeping the rest of your body still.

AND - Make sure that the camera strap is around your neck or wrist. Cameras are expensive to repair if they are dropped.

Holding the Camera
One final point - if you are using flash, ensure that the flash is higher than the lens. Light usually comes from above us so if the light from the flash comes from below, shadows start looking a bit strange.

Adopting these guidelines in your photography technique can make all the difference.

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Holding the Camera


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