How To Take Steady Shots Without a Tripod or Flash
The following will highlight a couple of techniques for SLR photography (film or digital) that you can try for low light situations. The key to getting good results is to practise and experiment.
So you have probably been in a situation where you are in low lighting conditions and there is no tripod to be found. Perhaps your camera is not equipped with a flash, or if you are like me, you just dislike the look that a flash gives to the photograph. There are a few options here.
1) Use a stable surface. Trees, tables, and railings all work as stabilising surfaces. Lean your entire body on the surface if it is vertical, or triangulate your arms on a horizontal surface. At all times, keep your left hand firmly on the underside of the lens.
2) Practice holding the camera steady. When I learned photography, I was told that one should not shoot handheld if the shutter speed is less than 1/30s. Since then, I have proven that tip false by taking clear pictures at speeds as low as 1/4s. All it takes is a bit of concentration and proper breathing, even if you do not have a steady surface to lean against. Keep your left hand under the lens and concentrate on keeping it as steady as possible. Before you click the shutter, take a breath and hold it as you depress the button. If you are not used to this technique, it will take a few times to get it right. If you have a digital SLR, use it as a teacher. Take a photo and review, and keep trying until you improve.
3) Use a fast film or high ISO. One of the great things about digital SLRs is the ability to switch “film” speeds between photos. Whenever I am indoors I will use an 800 or 1600 ISO. The image will be grainier, but at 8 megapixels, the photo will still be quite clear. If you are shooting an indoor event with a film camera, try using 800 or 1600 film. You will notice right away that your light meter responds very differently to low light. Do not be afraid to underexpose. If you truly want to capture the light as it really appears, you may want the needle to be as low as halfway between 0 and the centre of the light meter.
4) Use the continuous mode. This is something I have recently discovered. If you want to get a good shot, but you just cannot get that light meter to where you want it, put your camera on continuous shot. This is the mode where you can hold down the shutter button and the shutter will open and close until you take your finger off, or you hit the maximum continuous shot limit. The logic behind this is that if you shoot multiple shots within a second or two, there are bound to be one or two photos in the set that are clear and steady. One should still attempt to hold the camera as steady as possible during this process for best results.
Try these techniques out and keep practising. Look closely at your photographs and note what works and what doesn t. Let the camera be your teacher.
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