How do you stop your hands from trembling when holding a camera?

Question

I always end up with blurry shots. No tripod suggestions.

I'd really like to get into photography but this condition is really making it hard for me to take decent pictures. My hand just trembles while I hold a camera be it digital or film or celphone

Answer 1

Either you have a medical condition or you need to hold the camera differently. Assuming this is not a medical condition the suggestions about relaxing, breathing differently, leaning against something and other things can be done.

Note also that the movement will not be apparent when you shot your shorts using short exposures. High speed film (higher ISO settings with a digital camera) plus a high shutter speed work best. Also the lens focal length will make a difference. When you are shooting something a long way away with a zoom lens you will get more blurring than if you were not trying to zoom.

At some level motion is expected if you are in a low light situation with a slow shutter speed. That and long distance shots. Hence people use a tri-pod, a mono-pod or other way to brace the camera. Even the best photographers can not make up for issues at the extreme. Wind gusts can be an issue with a tri-pod if the unit is light weight and you are using a heavy lens.

You might consider heading down to the library to see if there are any books available. They can educate you as to the conditions when motion is likely to be a problem.

BTW - The problem will continue if you are perfectly still but the subject is moving and you have a slow exposure. Both sides (you with the camera and the item you are shooting) can produce blur in the final picture.

A 'hack' that I will use when I find that I want a night shot and I have no 'pod' is to shot a few shots quickly. I hold my breath, try to stabilize myself and then fire away. If I shoot 4 frames I find that one might be a lot better than the other 3. None are perfect if the conditions are poor (windy, low light, etc). Sometimes certain blur is interesting. As I am shooting digital I can always delete all if now are worth keeping.

Answer 2

Three things come to mind immediately, one is a tripod, which you really cannot use everywhere. The other is a monopod, which is less obtrusive, and some people have converted a cane to a monopod by adding a screw to the top of the cane. Another is the use of a screw that fits the threaded tripod hole with a chord and a metal washer on the other end to step on an you pull it taught with the camera as you aim at your subject.

Of course, everyone I know holds his/her breath on the exhale to take the photo and they also try to lean against a wall or some other stable object (a fence, a tree).

I hope this helps. Use your imagination; photography is a great hobby and its a shame that this limitation should overwhelm you and prevent you from enjoying it. Consider a tripod (it's light and easy to carry with a camera mounted).

Best wishes.

Answer 3

The previous suggestions about methods of holding the camera are good- try several and see which works best for you.

Also, a collapsible monopod is a lot less bulky than a tripod, is easy to carry around in a camera bag and can make a world of difference. You can also use whatever is handy in the current environment, i.e. placing your camera on the edge of a desk, or using the hood of a car to support your elbows etc.

Finally, some newer lenses from Nikon and Canon are designed to compensates for camera shake. Those lenses have the letters VR or IS in their descriptions (Canon uses "IS" to denote Image Stabilization, Nikon uses "VR" for Vibration Reduction)

Here is an example:

Answer 4

Take a breath, hold your breath, tuck your elbows into your sides, bracing yourself as much as possible, concentrate on holding still while taking the shot. Squeeze the button, don't "snap" it. Shoot in brighter light or with better camera/lens. Use a neck strap and use that combo with your braced elbows to create a triangle of tension to help steady the camera. Stop drinking coffee. Lean against a tree, doorway, car.

Answer 5

My children are 6 and 4. I hold their hands to cross the road, in very busy areas, in car parks etc. We also have times when we don't hold hands - not because we are in public and I don't want them to feel embarrassed but because we are somewhere where I feel happy about letting them run ahead of me or even lagging a little behind me. I think that "free running" is important to help them build independence. They are always in my sight and I keep an eye on what else is happening. They know that if I shout they have to either stop and wait or come back to me - and if they don't then they hold my hand! Sometimes one will choose to hold my hand rather than racing ahead - that's fine, and really lovely because it is such a different feeling to when they HAVE to hold my hand.

Answer 6

It sounds like you might be gripping the camera too hard. Loosen up and let it sort of lay in your hands. If all else fails, get a tripod. (yeah, I know you might not like to hear the tripod thing, but it has made my pics so much better).

Oh....and have a couple of beers, btw....that always helps.

Answer 7

Hold your elbows in very tightly, might help.

Apologies, I AM going to give a tripod suggestion - I have a "Pod" which is a small bean-bag which is a surrogate tripod you can use anywhere. Very useful.

Answer 8

Don't squeeze the camera.
Take a deep breath in and slowly let it out. Click the picture at the end of your exhale.

Answer 9

try and hold the camera closer to your body that would help. Good luck!

Answer 10

Try holding your arms close to your body to stabilize your hands more.