Tips to reduce hand-held camera shake

03 February, 2013

When one is shooting outdoors with a digital camera, not caring for a firm rest makes the camera shake a common problem. The camera shake becomes all the more visible when the shutter speed is slow compared to the speed of unintended camera motion.

One has to master the holding methods of creating a firm rest for the camera in the absence of a tripod. Although increasing the shutter speed is often the easiest technique for hand-held camera but at times you require longer exposures.

Try the following tips. First, try to optimize your grip on the camera. It's important to hold your camera firmly but not tensely by using your both hands. If possible, place one hand or its thumb under the lens and the other on your camera with finger over the release button. Make sure that your arms remain close to your body and in a comfortable position. After conscious practice your grip feels more natural, and hand muscles are more apt to the task.

Secondly, you may rest the camera on a shot wall or any other stable object around to take the shot of the subject. However, if you have a high wall, you may lean against the wall by resting the camera against the wall with its three corners touching the wall. It not only will provide a new point of view but will reduce the camera shake for slow shutter speed.

Thirdly, you should practice better shutter button technique by pressing the shutter release button halfway first, and then gently press the button for the release. You may use the timer option so the pressure ob the release button that can result in camera shake is eliminated.

You may like to get yourself calm and composed before clicking the camera by taking a long breath and holding it and then pressing the shutter button, initially, it worth trying.

If you are using a digital camera, at least take three shots in rapid succession but without ignoring the tips mentioned above. Select the best shot for processing while deleting the other two.

In the inset, the picture on the left is the result of slight camera shake and on the right with hardly any camera shake.