Photo Quick Tips #2 Assume the position

The Baby Photographer

Photography Quick Tips

Published on Thursday, 06 October 2011 10:00

Last Updated on 05 October 2011

Michael Shilling

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This might be our 2nd photography quick tip but it’s the first thing was taught in my photography A level many moons ago…… how to stand and hold your camera when taking a picture.

 

This might seem an obvious thing to point out but I’ve looked over my shoulder at weddings and you’re all guilty of bad photography posture!

 

The advent of digital changed many things in photography but it also changed the way we hold a camera. Professionals might argue it hasn’t for them but the truth is it has or all of us.

 

At some point in the early to mid noughties everybody stopped holding their cameras like this…..

And started holing them like this…..

 

Who is to blame for this? Camera manufactures of course. They got rid of the traditional view finders and replaced them with larger screens on the back of our cameras to view the photos.

 

What is the problem with this I hear you ask?

 

1. In bright sunlight it’s not easy to see the screens.

2. When you are holding a 3inch screen at arms length you are not really able to compose an image as well as you could if it were closer to your eye.

3. The further you camera is from your body the less stable it becomes and the chances of camera shake and blurry images are increased.

 

So how should you really hold your camera and what stance should you take to put yourself in the best position possible to start taking better pictures?

 

This is what I was taught all those years ago…..

 

Stand up straight

Feet shoulder width apart

Camera held close to your face

Both hands on the camera with you elbows tucked in.

 

Basically this is a good solid stable position and it’ll help you avoid camera shake and improve the way you compose your images.

 

This drawing I did on my iPad to illustrate what I mean (not the elbows tucked in bit though but you get the idea)….. it also illustrates why I’m a photographer and not the painter I once wanted to be and why by A Level art teacher encouraged my down the photography route

 

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