Firstly, I want to thank you all for your warm welcome. The supportive spirit of this community is truly inspirational. :) Secondly, I wish to ask if anyone has tips about taking photos with a compact camera when it seems like, so often, my hands move at just the wrong moment and my photo is blurry! I /love/ perfectly clear photos, but I can't imagine hauling about a tripod for use with a compact camera..it defies the purpose. I sometimes try to find things to sit my camera on while I take pictures..fence posts, columns, etc, but it's not always an option. I would love to hear your tips and advice. :) Thanks, Mayliah

Tuck your elbows snuggly into your sides and gently squeeze the shutter release and hold that position for a second or two after the shutter goes off - and, if possible, you can find something to lean on and (again, if possible) increase your shutter speed. Good luck!

Right you are. Also remember that because of the LCD displays many people nowadays hold thier arms out and move the camera around to try and see that,instead of paying attention to the subject.Looking through the little viewfinder will alow you to keep your elbows in tight to your body and have the camera propped in the cup of your hand. Saves teh batteries too.Soft sueezes and keeping your fingers from snapping back up will help with a smoth shutter release. Needs practice.

Well...try like dimedes66 told you, or, sometime, if you have the chance, while taking a shout of something on th e ground or at a low level, try to brace your arm, elbow on your knee or around there. When you are ready to take the picture, hold your respiration for few seconds. It help a bit. :O). Have a nice weekend. -Benoit

Stop breathing! ;)

I'm not sure very many compact cameras even have physical viewfinders anymore. Some look like they do but some just have a tiny screen in there.

I do have a viewfinder and am going to try using it more frequently to see if that improves matters a bit. Thanks for the advice! :)

ROTFLMAO @ Pascale!!!! Yup, that should definitly do the trick #:oD

Try finding a place to rest the camera on- and place the camera on a beanbag or something of the like- works for me. Otherwise like diomedes said- try tucking your elbows, or find a position that is steady for you. Also if you camera has a viewfinder- DO NOT use the screen to compose the image. Youll find it steadier to hold up to your eye.

i read in a photography mag that if you dont want to drag a tripod around to steady your pictures... use a length of chain thats long enough to go from the ground to eye level with a screw on one end... then you can put the screw into the bottom of the camera where the tripod would normally screw in. then put one end of the chain under your foot and hold it tight... it should steady your hand some. never tried it.. but it sounds like it should work... and its easier to carry then a tripod or monopod.

I think I read about the chain method somewhere, except that it was with a long piece of string tied to a screw that went into the tripod place. It is an interesting notion, worth trying... although it would attract some curious gazes. ;)

And, if you're looking for a screw, get one of those really cheap "table-top" tripods. As for breathing, pause in mid-breath. People do differ, and I know I seem to be able to hand-hold better than some. Some of the details depend on the camera, and the size of your hands, but on a compact it's usually possible to get a grip which can oppose the finger-pressure on the shutter release. (Tries on ancient Fed-2...) Depends on viewfinder position, but some cameras can fit against the side of your nose, too. It's SLRs and long lenses which are the worst, I think. Weight, balance, and viewfinder position...