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Learn from this example:
How many times have you seen this on television or in a movie: there’s a crowd of photographers – presumably paparazzi, or press photographers – and they are all huddled around the celebrity du jour – and the photographers are all madly and excitingly snapping away?
Have you ever seen how they all shake and wave their cameras around without any regard to whether the camera is steady and still? They might as well be jumping up and down on a trampoline! They wave the cameras around in the air wildly while screaming out, “SMILE, LOOK HERE, HEY, LOOK HERE…”
The one most essential photographic rule
You will not find a professional photographer who does not put great care and skill into holding the camera steady – presuming it’s not on a tripod. It is vitally important for you to learn the most important rule in photography of all kinds: learn and practice how to hold the camera steady. You actually use your hands, your arms, your face, and your neck and chest. The body is used to brace the camera tightly and securely.
The correct way to grip a camera
Place both hands on the camera, obviously the left hand on the left side of the camera body, and the right hand on the right side of the camera body.
It takes two hands to support the camera. Two. You hold the left side and support the bottom left of the camera with the left hand. You hold the right side and support the bottom of the right side of the camera with the right hand.
Your shutter finger is normally your right index finger, and there is a good reason for this: because the shutter button is almost always on the top right-hand side of the camera. Obviously, there are more right-handed people than left-handed people in the population.
Practice holding your camera at home and as you travel
Practice holding your camera while walking around at home. Whether you are using a modern, light digital camera, or an old, heavy Nikon with a long lens, you need to learn to hold the camera steady. Make it a part of you; feel comfortable. Keep it with you.
With your hands supporting and holding the camera, lift it gently to your face and look through the viewfinder. In most modern cameras you will be viewing the image on the video screen on the back.
This will require you to be even more coordinated to hold the camera steady because you do not have the benefit of your face – particularly your cheek and area around the nose and eye – to help support the camera. It’s a little tricky but you can do it. If you want to progress in photography, this is the FIRST aspect that must be mastered.
Hold the camera steady
As simple and presumptive as it sounds, the primary reason a great many photographs do not look good is because the camera was shaken and not held steady during the exposure. The movement in the camera was instantly captured – and transmitted – to the final image.
Conclusion
In summary, the great gift I can give to you is this lesson: learn how to hold the camera steady. By doing this you will enhance the quality of your photographs. It is really wise to always utilize the neck strap. Some photographers I know actually don’t think it’s “cool” to use the strap. To me that is ridiculous. Ensure the safety of your valuable and beloved camera.