Section 1 The Basics
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Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Your head is also part of the camera support
system. When the camera is held horizontally,
Figure 2-31A, the back should be pressed
lightly against your nose and cheek as you look
through the viewfinder. In the vertical position,
Figure 2-31B, your forehead and nose help to hold
the camera steady.
Compact cameras and camera phones are
often carried in a pocket, purse, or small case
clipped to the belt. If it has a wrist strap, a camera
or camera phone can be carried in the hand with
a strap used for safety. Allowing a camera to
swing free, supported only by the wrist strap,
is poor practice because the camera could be
damaged by striking a hard object.
Camera Support
Methods
Two kinds of blur that can be seen in
photographs are those caused by subject
motion and those caused by camera movement.
Camera support methods and devices are used
to avoid blur by holding the camera motionless
during the vital period when the shutter is
open. That period may range from a fraction
of a second to minutes. The camera to be
supported might be a tiny point-and-shoot
weighing a few ounces or a large studio view
camera weighing several pounds.
Hand-Holding a Camera
Poor hand-holding technique is the most
common cause of blur due to camera
movement. When proper methods are used,
the human body can be an effective camera
support, allowing photos to be taken at fairly
slow shutter speeds.
Effective hand-holding begins with using the
correct grip. The camera should be held with both
hands in a firm but relaxed grip. Clenching the
camera body too tightly is tiring and more likely
to make your hands shake.
Most professionals recommend holding an
SLR camera as shown in Figure 2-31. Use the
fingers and palm of your right hand to grip
the right end of the camera, leaving the index
finger free to press the shutter release. This
positioning permits the thumb to be used to
operate the manual film advance lever if the
camera has one.
Cradle the lens with the fingers of your left
hand, allowing the left side of the camera’s
baseplate to rest on the heel of your left palm. This
provides support for the weight of the camera and
allows you to use your fingers to rotate the lens
barrel for manual focusing or zooming.
A
B
Jack Klasey/Goodheart-Willcox Publisher
Figure 2-31. Holding an SLR camera. A—Horizontal
camera position. B—Vertical camera position.