Shooting telephoto offhand with no support leads to shake and blurred images. I just got a telephoto zoom lens and have learned the lesson of using a tripod. Yet, when you DO shoot offhand, do you have a technique for lessening shake? I think back to my days of competitive rifle and handgun shooting. The habit was to come down on target with the sites, take a breath, let it out and hold when the trigger was pulled. Shake was also translated into a known movement of the sites. Shake in a camera means fuzz..no predicted movement of shake and no coming down on target. With a camera I have tried taking a breath, exhaling and snapping the shutter. It is a simple technique but does eliminate some of the shake caused by body movement. Sure, a tripod is the way to go and then perhaps a monopod, sort of like a shooting stick. Thenthen there is a shot that does not allow time to set up. Do you have any technique for gaining steadiness when the shot is snapped? If you do, I would like to know!

I just have to scratch My Nose in the Street and everyone thinks I am waving at them....I am beginning to think...I have St.Vitus Dance....show Us Your Big Zoooooooooooooooooooom...if You are not too shy...blush

The loose rule of thumb is to not use a shutter speed slower than the focal length of your lens.... So if you're using a 300mm lens, you should try to keep your shutter speed @ 1/300th or faster..... Elbows held as close to the body as possible.... and holding breath until after shutter is triggered is pretty much what is recommended... and it's what I do as well.... Nothing though, takes the place of the tripod, as you already know.....

Tedz, the zoom is internal focus and zoom..it is a state of mind. ; )

my hands shake most of the time. nothing helps me. it's very frustrating. i hold my breath. i still shake. some days are better than others. Good luck, Tom. :)

I don't have the steadiest hands, so I use the techniques that Michelle described. I also use a monopod a lot, I mount a ball head so that I can rotate the camera easily.

I haven't tried a monopod and don't own one. I do see it as a great way to gain some steadiness. I use a ball head and do like that very much. Michelle mentioned elbows..that is similar to the shooting I mentioned. When I would "bring the site down on target" part of this technique is firming of the muscles into a practiced stance. Still, simple breath control does wonders. I assume the monopod is fairly quick to use compared to a tripod.

Yay...I got that right , because I was going to say what Michelle said.But just did not know that ratio.Be quick, be smooth and the arm you hold your camera in, use as a pivot tight to your body with camera held firm on your flattened palm.That is what a photographer taught me years ago and it works great. But if you are panning it si kind of hard to hold tight in to your body so then be smooth. Now if I could only get the focus right all the time.

HI all hopes this helps

I used to shoot olympic match air rifle and pistol, and before you release the shot, you start to breathe shallow.

1. intake of breath
2. breathe out
3. intake of breathe
4. slowly let out through nose
5. repeat 10 per day to help

and practice when you can, dont know if it will work, but if worked for my shooting and helps with the photography, falling that, get a monopod.

Message edited on: 07/07/2005 11:28

Shoot sideways. Plant your arm supporting the camera in your side thereby forming a triangle. I also place my other arm against the other side of my chest. Plant the camera firmly against your head. Use your breathing technique to further steady yourself. Don't try to pull it all too tight because that makes your muscles shake ;)

Some people swear by beanbags since they are easier to transport. But you still need something to rest them, then the camera, on. I always slowly breath out at I press the shutter release. Holding my breath causes me to shake just a little. Try different things and go with what works best. I recommend the tripod though. ;]

Just remembered.. don't press the shutter.. roll your finger over the shutterbutton.

It seems like much is very similar to my firearms experience, needing the steady hold using similar methods. I the extra tips about "roll over the shutter" and the "flattened palm" are good extras. I will practice this stuff. I am not the spring rooster I was and not as steady..still a rooster, however. Thanks.

I can hold so still that I see the beats of my heart through the viewfinder. I find that a monopod helps this, or Image Stabilization in the lens itself.

I also see heartbeats through the viewfinder, but from my rifleshooting experiences I've learned to shoot between 2 beats :)