Photography with a broken hand

Adow2

Adow2

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Alan
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Hi all!

Broke my hand on Friday evening.....I was sober as well..... Had an X-ray in A&E, the Doc confirmed I've fractured my Metacarpel on my little finger. My whole hand has swelled about 5 times the size! Got an appointment at Fracture clinic on Christmas Eve to get it plastered..... To boot it's my right hand and I'm right handed!

Has anyone got any tips on one handed photography? My DSLR is out of the question! It feels really awkward as the buttons on my cameras are now on the wrong side! If there's any left handed togs out there do you find it frustrating? Or have you got any tips?

Thanks in advance of any help!

Alan
 
All lefties just have to use rough handed cameras so no help from there I'm afraid! Hope it heels up quickly for you
 
A tripod. But, you may need to have someone do the initial setting up for you. With your hand in so much pain and discomfort, I wouldn't go photographing alone anyhow.
 
A temporary switch to one of the semi auto modes (rather than M) and a cable release? If you can, a compact can be used upside down with the left thumb as the "trigger finger". Maybe there are other aspects that you can catch up on? PP? GAS?! Maybe you can get the fracture clinic to set a tripod screw in the plaster? (Might be an idea as well as a joke!)
 
Hope it heals soon for you!

Maybe want to look at getting on of these and using a Tripod ;)

Canon-7D-L-DSLR-Camera.jpg


http://www.canonrumors.com/2013/04/canon-eos-7d-l-announced-shipping-in-may/
 
Ooh I feel for you.

I suffered two episodes of Radial Nerve Palsy a couple of years ago.

The first left me with no use or feeling in my right arm for 4 months then 6 months later exactly the same thing happened to my left.

I'm sure a broken hand isn't quite so restricting but it's amazing how well you can cope. I started a 'one handed photography' thread and a few folk chipped in with ideas.

I bought one of those manfrotto 332 RC2 heads so i could compose one handed. A tripod obviously became the norm as did a cable release. It actually meant i sent more time thinking about composition etc.
 
Nod said:
A temporary switch to one of the semi auto modes (rather than M) and a cable release? If you can, a compact can be used upside down with the left thumb as the "trigger finger". Maybe there are other aspects that you can catch up on? PP? GAS?! Maybe you can get the fracture clinic to set a tripod screw in the plaster? (Might be an idea as well as a joke!)
Click to expand...

Cheers Nod! An upside down compact is prob the way I'll go! Never crossed my mind! I'll see what the say about the tripod screw....... :)
 
dinners said:
Ooh I feel for you.

I suffered two episodes of Radial Nerve Palsy a couple of years ago.

The first left me with no use or feeling in my right arm for 4 months then 6 months later exactly the same thing happened to my left.

I'm sure a broken hand isn't quite so restricting but it's amazing how well you can cope. I started a 'one handed photography' thread and a few folk chipped in with ideas.

I bought one of those manfrotto 332 RC2 heads so i could compose one handed. A tripod obviously became the norm as did a cable release. It actually meant i sent more time thinking about composition etc.
Click to expand...

I don't think a broken hand is as restricting! Radial nerve palsy sounds a right bugg*r! They said it'll take 6-8 weeks to mend, but I'm hoping their wrong about that too!

Cheers for the advice!
 
how much pain do you have in the palm of your hand ?

sounds like a daft question but not really as iv'e already mentioned in other threads i have no fingers on my right hand but i do have most of my thumb left and some of my palm
if you draw a line across your palm from the base of your thumb where it meets your palm you will get an idea of whats left of my right hand i use my left hand to hold the camera and my right thumb to press the shutter resting my palm on the side of the camera to steady it
i use a 1dx and seem to get along fine with it :)

compacts i just use my first finger on my left hand whilst holding the camera
works fine :)

dunno about a cast though i can see that being a bit of a hindrance
 
Alan, if they leave your right thumb relatively free (if you're nice to them, they may be nice to you!) you should be able to use the rear thumb wheel to adjust in Av, Tv or P mode and I can recommend the 322 Manfrotto head I have mine set up to be operated with my left hand, leaving the right to do the camera controls. Once you've got the framing about right, you can do any zooming with the left hand (as usual?) and a cable (or wireless) release can do the clicking! Maybe even a few weeks of prime only shooting so zooming's out of the equation?

Brainstorm! IIRC, Manfrotto do some triggers to add to the 322 head which could help. Obviously expense that you could live without but a potential solution to your current problem.
 
Hi, When I broke my right hand a while back I used an LPL angled flash bracket held in my left hand with a cable release attached. Worked pretty good for me.(y) (y) (y)

Hope this helps and your hand gets better soon.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS"
 
Thanks for all the tips! Getting used to my limitations at the mo, think I'll use my Fujifilm XF1 a fair amount over next few weeks. Can't really afford any extra equipment at mo. But I do have a small travel tripod so will be able to use that along with timer mode. Reckon I'll be able to use right thumb once the pain subsides (even in cast! I'll try n be nice to then Nod!) reckon the tripod screw set in cast would be well cool! Very Inspector Gadget! Not sure if NHS will stretch to that level of customer service though! :)

Cosmicma you are an inspiration I'm gonna stop moaning about my situation and get out there an carry on shooting! :)
 
Interesting. I know this is a right handed world, and I'd never given it much thought - like most people, I suppose - but I picked up my 30D and tried to operate it with my left hand, without much success! I suspect most DSLR controls are strongly right orientated?

My daughter is left handed but is fairly ambidextrous, apart from writing, and she shoots (cameras and firearms) right handed, so there's no point asking her about this. How do other left handed people manage? Do you condition yourself to shooting right handed, or are there feasible workarounds for handheld shooting?
 
hmmm never mind taking photos ,wait till you wanna wipe yer bum :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::rolleyes:
 
Been there and I feel your pain.

Trigger release cables are very useful. ;) Tripods and patience are also helpful. You may need help with settings though.

When my hands are bad, that's pretty much what I do. Hubby is my assistant, so to speak, so sets the camera to what I tell him if I can't manage, use a tripod/chairpod and a shutter release trigger.
 
How about a remote release but gaffa taped somewhere to the camera? The little battery powered ones can be quite small if they don't have the intervalometers on.
 
I 99% of the time have my camera tripod mounted and a cable release in hand. A lot easier when only one hand works
 
Hold the underside of your camera with your right hand, then use your left hand over the top to hit the shutter.

A guy who shoots at Oulton Park uses this method (I think due to a disability) and he seems to shoot fine :)
(For reference he uses his thumb knuckle to hit the shutter but you'd presumably use a finger)
 
As it happens I was using my 322 today
with a cable release you should be able to work with your left but you would still need to get the manfrotto quick release plate on to the bottom of the camera
Once that's done no reason you can't work with one hand
 
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