Nerves/shaking

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Name
Anthony
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Hello

As someone that suffers slightly with there nerves I find a few of my photos turn out blurry due to a slight shake of the camera, are there any tips or pointers apart from using a tripod?
 
Hello

As someone that suffers slightly with there nerves I find a few of my photos turn out blurry due to a slight shake of the camera, are there any tips or pointers apart from using a tripod?

Hi Anthony,
I would suggest a monopod, easily less cumbersome than a tripod.
If not that, using your surroundings, street furniture, fence posts etc, alternatively try bracing yourself against static objects or even buildings.
A few suggestions, I hope that helps a little.
 
Fast shutter speed, good solid grip on the camera, elbows tight in, lean against a wall, lens (or camera) with image stabilisation, breathe out as you take the shot.

As someone who is also shaky, these will help. Over time, you'll get an idea as to where your ideal shutter speed lies to protect you from shake. For me, if my shutter speed is slower than 1/(2x focal length) I need to try and find a way to make it faster or risk blur from me. Auto ISO can help keep your shutter speed high and can be set depending on what you're doing that day.

And breathing is a good one. I take my camera out with me every day when I go for a brisk walk. Stopping to take a pic whilst still out of breath can affect the image, so I take a few breaths and let myself settle before taking the shot.
 
Set the camera to burst mode. The first shot is likely to be the shakiest and if you take three shots of everything you have three times the chance that one is steady.

If you can use live mode, pull the camera down quite hard on the neck strap and shoot from waist level.
 
A piece of string.
One end attached to a screw in the tripod hole of the camera the other end tied to something which you can trap under your foot, such as a large washer. Pulling up on the string will steady the camera.
I have a reasonably steady grip but I carry my "reverse tripod" for when I want a longer shutter speed.
Very useful in film days when changing film speed meant changing the film!
 
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Dad suffered from a benign tremor and found that a VR lens was enough to combat it. Different manufacturers use different terminology - Nikon = VR, Canon - IS, Sigma = OS, Tamron = VC etc..
 
Thank you all so much for the help , I will definitely be trying these tips out (y)
 
As well as the above suggestions you could try tightening your camera strap around an elbow (like rifle shooters used to) that might help hand holding. Another suggestion is to see if your GP can prescribe something to help reduce the shaking.
Some cameras have built in image stablising, don't know if that might help, but some lens have amazing IS these days.
 
Hello

As someone that suffers slightly with there nerves I find a few of my photos turn out blurry due to a slight shake of the camera, are there any tips or pointers apart from using a tripod?

I too suffer from age related tremors. And been prescribed propranolol which is a beta blocker, and banned to snooker players as it steadies their shots. Fortunately no one has banned photographers. It certainly helps , but only so far.
 
I too shake like a Morris Minor on a cobbled street, but I find that the IBIS of the Olympus does a pretty good job of overcoming that. Not always though, but more often than not.
 
I too shake like a Morris Minor on a cobbled street, but I find that the IBIS of the Olympus does a pretty good job of overcoming that. Not always though, but more often than not.


Here's hoping that the shaking doesn't knacker your trunnions!!!
 
All of the above - leaning against something and a higher shutter speed will really help. As well as sitting down if you can. Tripod if possible but not always practicable. And breathe...…...
 
Is it just when you are taking pictures that you shake. If it is then the Zen trick of alternative focus may help. This was a technique that was used in archery, and the idea was not to sight along the arrow to view the target, but to project yourself mentally over to the target, and to draw the arrow towards you. I',m not sure how relevant this is, or if it would work. I'm in favour of natural remedies, so leaning against a tree, and removing the tension of viewing and releasing the shutter could help to relax you.
The probable result would be to photograph the ground in front of the subject that you want to capture, so maybe it will take a bit of practice. :)
 
Interesting topic. It's a bit like musicians who get 'red-light angst' when pressing the record button.

I suffer a bit, but for me the trick seems to be 'take more shots', even burst mode.
 
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