camera shake"
Camera Shake is where your image is blurry, even though you though you
held the camera still and your focus crystal clear when you pressed the shutter release
button. This happens because the camera was not held still enough while the
shutter release button was pressed and the shutter remains open. It is
especially common in shots taken when there is not enough light in
(low light) and where the shutter is open for longer periods of time
(longer than 1/100th of a second). The smallest movement of the camera can cause
camera shake, but there is hope to reduce and eliminate it. We will
talk about these methods here.
Of all the contributing factors in
creating camera shake, one of the most increasingly common problems
with blurry digital photography, is how the camera is held. Whether
you use a Digital Single Lens Reflex, (DSLR) or SLR for film
cameras, and even your camera phone... the most common practice
today is holding the camera at arms length to view the image
as you release the shutter. With the increasing use of "Mirror-less"
cameras, "Point and Shoot" cameras and Camera Phones, you almost
have no choice but to hold the camera at arms length to see the
image you are going to take, in the monitor. (And, if you are using
the live view feature on your DSLR too). But there are techniques
you can employ that will help you make make better pictures.
Before we begin our lessons for
the correct ways to hold your camera in order to stabilize and
improve your images, let me say that there will actually be times
when you want to add camera shake to your pictures for an
interesting or artistic effect. But, by learning how NOT to shake
your camera when you press the shutter release button, you will also
know how and when to do it deliberately to achieve these effects.
Later on in this series of workshops, I will talk about this
deliberate technique.
So, Let's begin...
There are several reasons your camera will move during the exposure.
The most common of these, for a new photographer, starts with how you
press the shutter release button. Pressing the button smoothly and
gently will help to eliminate moving the camera when you are taking
a picture.
Smoothing your shutter
release
Most digital cameras require you to press the shutter release
button part way down in order to focus the lens and set the
exposure. Almost everyone with a new camera and even people who have
been using their camera for many years do this. Many older film
cameras require you to press the shutter release button part way, to
activate the meter or focus the lens on some more advanced models.
On your camera phone, you sometimes have to touch the screen to get
your camera to properly focus, then tough an icon button to take the
picture.
After the focus and exposure is set, some people (like myself, when
I first started taking pictures...) will let go of the button,
momentarily, then press the button to release the shutter. If you do
not do this gently and smoothly, you will actually make the camera
move enough to make your pictures blurry because of camera shake. In
order to get out of this habit, you should practice focusing and
releasing the shutter in one smooth action.
EXERCISE:
Before you turn your camera on, put your camera on the open palm of
your left hand. (IMPORTANT! Make sure you have the strap around
your neck, so you don't drop your camera!) Without holding the
camera with your right hand, place the index finger of your right
hand on the shutter release button and press down gently but firmly. (Make a mental note of how much
the camera is moving before the shutter button reaches the bottom.)
This is how much force it takes to release the shutter after you
have focused the camera.
Now, with the camera still in your left open palm, grip the right
side of the camera firmly, but gently (and slowly) squeeze the
shutter release button and try not to allow the camera to move.
Once you have a "feel" for how much force you need to apply and how
easily it is to move only your finger to press the shutter release
button, while you are gripping the camera, you are on your way
to taking pictures that are clear and show no camera shake.
Steadying your camera
The most common contributors to camera shake is a
habit that is increasingly common
with digital camera users, holding the camera at arms length away
from you as you take your shots – often with one hand. This
habit goes as far back as the early days of cinematography when film
makers used to hold up both hands and form a viewing frame with
their fingers and thumb, so they could imagine how their scene would
look. While this might
be a good way to visualize your shot, it is not at all stable. The further away from your body (a
fairly stable object) you hold a camera the greater the chance you have of
swaying or shaking as you take your shot.
EXERCISE:
Before you pick up your camera, lets try a something very simple...
Lift both hands in front of you and stretch your arms out. Look at
the back of your hands and make "L"s with your thumbs and index
fingers. Now, touch your thumbs together to make a rectangle.
Look through the frame you made with your fingers, and move them
around the room... when you find something interesting, stop and
hold your hands as still as you can, to keep the scene in your
frame. (Make a mental note of how much your hands are moving,
even though you are trying to hold them still.)
Now, to add more instability, keep your finger frame and turn
your hands 90 degrees sideways to see how much more stress is placed
on your arms. Notice how much more movement there is in your scene?
NEXT: Make your finger frame again, but this time, rest your hands
or wrists on some object, like a wall, a table or, bring your elbows
tight into your chest. See how much more stabile that made things?
That was a simple exercise to help you on your way to holding your
camera steady. Now grab your camera and do the same thing, while you
are holding it. That is the key to helping eliminate the most common
cause of camera shake...
Eliminate as much movement of the camera as possible. Once you are
comfortable with steadying your camera you will see better results
with your next pictures.
Holding your Camera
A simple way to enhance the stability of the
camera and eliminate camera shake is to hold your camera with two hands.
In the shutter release exercise I had you put the camera on your
flat and open palm of your left hand while you pushed down on the
shutter release button with your right finger. Then I had you grasp
the camera with your right hand to see how much more stabile you
could make your camera.
In this section we will learn how
to properly hold the camera with both hands, in order to make the
camera rock solid, so your pictures come out perfectly clear.
While it can be tempting to shoot one handed, two hands will
increase your steadiness.
Exactly how you should grip your camera will depend upon what type
of digital camera you are using and varies from person to person
depending upon your preference.
There is no real "right" way to do
it, but there are techniques that make picture taking better.
Going back to the first exercise, I had you put the camera on the
open palm of your left hand. This time, while you are holding the
grip of your camera with your right hand put the camera back on the
palm of your left hand, Pull your elbow tight against your body and
only this time wrap your fingers around the barrel of the lens body
with your thumb facing your left.
Depending on the Camera and lens combination you have, your index
and ring fingers, should naturally land on the right side of the
camera and will be in contact with either the focus ring, the
aperture ring (the F-Stop ring,) or the zoom ring. Because your left
hand has so little work to do with modern cameras, this hand will be
the one to provide the most stability when you use your camera and
having your elbow tucked into your side will make your entire left
side a steady platform for you camera.
Raise the camera view finder up to your eye and see how that
feels... You don't have to be so tight that your muscles ach after a
short period of time, but a firm grip and keeping you elbow tight
will make your camera very stable. Now, gently but firmly grip the
right side of the camera with your right hand, as you did with the
shutter release exercise, and you are on your way to properly
holding your camera to begin taking your first clear focused and
great pictures.
Next, with the index finger of
your right hand should be sitting lightly above the shutter release, your other
three fingers curling around the front of the camera, holding the
grip, or the body of the camera. Your right
thumb is griping the back of the camera and should be in place to
operate the many controls there. Most modern cameras
have grip impressions for where your fingers should
go so you should feel natural.
Use a strong grip with your right
hand but don’t grip it so tightly that you end up shaking the
camera. (keep in mind my previous exercise about shutter technique –
squeeze the shutter don’t jab at it.
Now, the positioning of your left hand will depend upon your camera but
in in general it should support the weight of the camera and will
either sit underneath the camera or under and around a lens. (The
same grip applies to a DSLR or a point and shoot camera).
EXERCISE:
Hold the camera as we described above and bring the view finder to
eye level. To line up your shot
you’ll have the camera nice and close into your body. That
will add
extra stability, but if you’re using the LCD make sure you don’t hold
your camera too far away from you. Tuck your elbows into your sides
and lean the camera out a little from your face. Your body and the
camera will form a triangle.
Alternatively use the viewfinder if it’s not too small or difficult
to see through (a problem on many point and shoots these days).
Add extra stability by leaning against a solid object like a wall
or a tree or by sitting or kneeling down. If you have to stand and
don’t have anything to lean on for extra support put your feet
shoulder width apart to give yourself a steady stance. The more
stabile
you can keep your body the steadier the camera will be.
Holding a camera this way will allow you flexibility of being
able to line up shots quickly, but will also help you to hold the
camera still
for the moment your shutter opens.
Bonus tip!
Here's another quick tip on how to hold a camera steady – before you take
your shot take a deep breath, hold it, and take the shot, then exhale.
Or, do the opposite. Exhale, take the shot and breath afterward.
You will be amazed about how
much your body rises and falls simply by breathing. Being conscious of
it can give you a big edge in taking really great photographs.
After a while you will develope your own techniques that
will make you more comfortable with using your camera. Ultimately you need to find what
works best for you – but in the early days of using your new
DSLR or film camera, it is well worth to learn the basics and
develop good habits as you build your own techniques.
One last note about how to hold a camera steady is to remember how many people get it wrong
because the don't stick to the basics. Then they
wonder why their images are blurry.
There are many other techniques for decreasing camera
shake, which can be used with the way you hold it, but these will covered
in more detail in another workshop.
Using a Tripod
Although they can sometimes be clumsy and cumbersome tripods are one
of the best tools keep your camera steady when you don't have enough
available light for a fast shutter speed. Even an inexpensive tripod
will stop camera shake because they have three sturdy legs that keep
the camera very still
and is a great way to eliminate camera movement during the exposure.
The best tripod is one that is easy to use, quick to set up, doesn't
cost a lot of money and is sturdy enough to support your camera.
As with any piece of photo equipment there are plusses and minuses
and the same is true with tripods.
The biggest plus is that it will hold your camera steady during
exposures that would be impossible to take by holding the camera by
hand.
Among the minuses are that they limit your movement, so you will
have to choose your location and take your pictures where you are.
Also, when using a tripod, the floor space they take up is usually
quite large. (Usually about thee feet.) But, all in all the benefits
out weigh the negatives.
On the same theory as tripods there are many other other methods to
stabilize your camera when you are taking a picture with light that
is less than optimal. You can rest your camera on a flat surface or
hold it against a pole or fence. Other ways to get those great shots
include putting the camera on the ground, a bean bag, or even the
roof of your car. All of these techniques need a lot of practice to
perfect, but once you have mastered them, the results can be very
rewarding.
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