How can I deal with the problem about taking flash-free pictures indoors?

Question

Suppose that you have to take pictures without flash indoors and you are not able to use tripod or brace your camera anywhere, only thing you can do is to trust your hands' stability and to hope that they don't shake. In such a condition, which camera settings can be ideal for both noisy-free and non-blurry pictures?...(iso settings, ect...) Thank you....

Answer 1

Here are a few things you can try-
1) Increase the ISO- ISO level basically reflects the sensitivity of film or sensor for light. Higher ISO means you can manage to keep your shutter speed high even in low light conditions. But here is one trade off- higher ISO means grains(which look like noise in digital cameras) and quality you can get is highly dependent on how good your camera(in digital case) is. So choose an optimum ISO value as per your light conditions and quality requirements.
2) Add some light- Generally normal indoor lighting is not sufficient for photography without flash. So you can add some light from outside. If it is a high intensity, directional light, try pointing it to the ceiling so that it is diffused properly and doesn't cast sharp shadows. It will add a lot to your indoor photographs.
3) Avoid hand shakes- As you have already ruled out tripod, the only way you can achieve this is by practicing holding camera steady while taking photograph. These tips might be useful-
a) Do not hold camera too tight or too loose.
b) Do not stop breathing, but try to release breath slowly as you click.
c) Practice, practice & practice.

Answer 2

Use the fastest ISO setting that your camera has and the fastest shutter speed. The pictures may, however, be very 'grainy' showing a lot of noise. Provided you can keep the speed above 1/30 or preferably 1/60 you should be able to avoid blur (provided you don't use the telephoto end of the lens) but there is not much you can do about noise.