Hold Your Camera Steady

Very few photographers use a tripod or monopod to take all their pictures, and even the best built-in anti-shake systems have limitations. That's why it's still very important to hold your camera steadily when shooting pictures.

Digital SLRs with optical viewing systems have a great advantage over many point-and-shoot cameras in this respect because they're designed to be viewed at eye level w ith the camera pressed firmly against your face rather than held out at arm's length as you ogle at the LCD.



Unsteady hold: Many compact cameras lack an optical viewfinder, forcing you to hold the camera at arm's length—a position that can increase shaky shots. Photo © Jim Jurica / iStockphoto.com

The time-honored method of bracing your elbows at your sides, pressing the eyepiece into your eye socket, keeping your feet apart at about shoulder distance, arching your index finger over the shutter release, and gently squeezing the shutter button is still the best way to insure sharp handheld shots. Bracing the camera against any solid object—a big rock, car, tabletop or doorway—will also increase stability and minimize shake.



A stable environment: SLRs must be held with both hands; by pressing the finder against your eye while tucking your elbow in your stomach you are creating a steadier holding position and your chances of getting sharper shots increases. Photo © Pawel Grabowski / iStockphoto.com

When buying a compact digital camera, consider getting a model with a built-in optical viewfinder that gives you the option of holding the camera up to your face. One such camera is the Canon PowerShot SD1000 Digital Elph. And if you opt for a camera that doesn't have this feature, make sure it has a built-in image stabilization or anti-shake system (most current models do).