Zenith PhotoCourse

Part 2: Hold your DSLR the right way

Zenith photographer Frank tells you how to hold your camera correctly in Part 2 of our Zenith PhotoCourse.

I bet you can't wait to start shooting with your brand spanking new DSLR. But before you do that, what'ya say we learn a thing or two about how to properly hold your camera, eh?
You see, how you hold your camera affects your shooting because if you're comfortable holding it, shooting becomes a breeze, and vice versa. Holding your camera the right way also helps you avoid blurriness in your pictures (camera shake) as a result of unsteady hands, and makes shooting quicker and more accurate as well.
I'm sure many of you start to get into photography after buying yourself a handy dandy digital compact camera and using it for a couple of years, before deciding to go for a DSLR. So naturally, some of you would hold your brand new DSLR the way you held your digital compact.
Because the shape, size and weight of a DSLR differ greatly from a compact camera, you will need to hold it in certain ways to make sure you're comfortable with the DSLR and that your hands are stable enough to hold your much heavier new toy.
Allow me to show you how...

YOUR RIGHT HAND

The correct way to hold your camera

When handling your DSLR, make sure that your thumb is on the back of your camera. This provides better support and a firmer hold. Besides a better grip, you can also use your right thumb to navigate through the buttons and dials located conveniently within reach of the thumb, on the back of the camera (e.g. shutter dial or the D-Pad).
Your forefinger should be kept free because you will need it to press the aperture button or dial (depending on which camera model and make you're using), shutter button and other control buttons/dials. And it shouldn't carry any weight from your DSLR, nor should it wrap around the hand grip. And speaking of which, the hand grip is where the rest of your fingers should be wrapped around. Like the thumb, the fingers also provide a firm grip.

YOUR LEFT HAND

As far as your left hand placement is concerned, your thumb, forefinger and middle finger should wrap around the focus ring (otherwise known as zoom ring).
Your left palm is where the camera should sit as it takes the majority of the camera's weight.

WHEN SHOOTING AT EYE LEVEL

This is one of the common view points through which we take photos. You need to be relaxed and comfortable when shooting this way... and the correct way to do it is to stand up with your arms and elbows as close to your body as possible, and one of your feet put in front and the other in the back. This is far more comfortable compared to standing sideways while shooting at eye level.
Ah... and here's a useful trick: While shooting at eye level, find something to lean against, if possible. Depending on where you are, you can lean on a wall, a lamp post, a tree... whatever that's strong enough to support YOUR BODY WEIGHT. Leaning on these and other things will ensure that your shots are way less shaky compared to when you stand freely.
Once you're accustomed to shooting at eye level, you might want to try shooting at different view points (or as I like to say because it sounds cool, “vantage points”).

SHOOTING AT WAIST LEVEL

Get down on one knee (right) then rest your elbow (left) on your other leg (left) for more support.
This technique allows you to take more stable shots compared to eye level shooting. It also offers a wide range of views, especially for those who need to shoot subjects that are lower than eye level.

Place your left elbow on your left knee for added support

LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

Just as it is with eye level shooting, it's also good to have something to lean on when shooting at waist level. It's even better if you can rest your arms on things like a table, a fallen tree trunk... whatever it is that can give you good support at waist level, as this will be of great importance should you need to shoot at a rather slow shutter speed. It also allows you to better compose your shots.
Don't put your lens or camera body directly on your “support” though. This is to avoid damages or scratches on your DSLR.

Leaning on a chair will give you better support when shooting at waist level

Note: Use these “supports” if you don't own a tripod or forgot to bring it with you, or even when you need to take certain shots that aren't possible when you use a tripod.

TRIPOD

I’d advice you to get yourself a tripod as well… not necessarily a super expensive one. As long as the tripod head (and legs) can support the weight of your camera and lens, it should be pretty sturdy and good enough to assist you in taking shots without you having to worry about camera shake.
Those of you who love to shoot landscapes, night shots or even shooting in low light condition, you’ll find that the tripod is an essential piece of equipment.
I’ll explain more on the tripod in another edition of Zenith PhotoCourse. In the meantime, let’s get back to our subject for this edition…
The following photos show some of the common mistake people do when holding their DSLR:

1. Holding it like a digital compact camera
Holding your camera this way makes it hard for you to switch between wrapping your fingers around the camera and reaching for the dials or buttons on the camera should you need to make fast adjustments. If you’re using a lens that is quite heavy, it’ll be hard for you to hold steady your DSLR and camera shake WILL occur.

This isn't the correct way to hold your DSLR

2. Holding it as you would a pair of binoculars
Holding your DSLR with your left hand on the top of your camera lens is a big no no! Why? Because you’re not supporting the weight of the camera/lens AT ALL!
Your shots wouldn’t be as steady as you would hope them to be and you might end up taking snapshots of your finger in front of the lens.

Your DSLR is not a pair of binoculars, so stop holding it like this!

Well, that’s it for this week. Now go on and try these techniques, and you’ll soon find yourself shooting not only the right way, but comfortably too. :D

Any questions? Email us at zenithenquiry@yahoo.com