The
existing light is very low and flash is not an option because you can't
or the effect would be lost. There's no place for you to rest or
prop your camera and you're already loaded with the fastest film
possible and you do not like to use push-processing to increase the ASA or you are afraid of digital noise.
Here are some quick tips to help you getting a better photograph in low light:
Learn
to hold the camera steadier than you have ever done before and avoid
telephoto lens usage.
-
For
steadiest handholding, place the bottom of your camera down on your
left palm with the fingers forward and curled around the lensmount.
Your left-hand fingers will operate the lens controls, The palm is
your platform and there should be no space at all between palm and
bottom of camera. It takes some practice fitting your palm to the
camera body and it may seem uncomfortable at first. Practice until
you have it down cold.
-
Take
a deep breath and let 1/2 of it out.
-
Your
feet should be shoulder width apart.
-
If
you have some time to prepare you can also take a length of chain
and attach a 1/4' bolt to it. Attach the chain to your camera
tripod mount and let the chain drop to the ground.
More information on how to take better low light photography.
Your
right hand, which grasps the right side of the camera firmly, determines
the camera direction and operates camera body controls.
Bring
the camera to your eye. Pull in elbows to your sides and, if you can,
dig them in. (Thin camera owners seem to do this better.) Pull back on
lens and camera so your forehead becomes a rear brace.
When
ready to make a picture, take a breath, exhale half, hold it. The chain
should be under your foot and is taught. This helps reduce the
upward sway. Don't rock back and forth (a common error).
Now
you are ready. Use
all the fingers of your right hand to gently but slowly increase
pressure on the camera including the shutter release. Click.
The
general slow-speed dictum holds you should not shoot with a shutter
speed slower than the reciprocal of the focal length. Using a 35mm lens,
for instance, would allow you to hold 1/35 sec. Do you have and can you
switch to something wider? A 20mm lens would only require 1/20 sec.
Every little bit helps. But in most cases, with practice you should be
able to hold speeds two to four times as long as the dictum recommends!
Every
time? Some people claim they can. I doubt it. But if I can eke one sharp
shot out of three at 1/4 sec, nobody's going to see the other blurry
two.
Now
for a few words on handhold-lng non-SLR point-and-shoot cameras at slow
speeds. Usually you have no problem since most such' cameras
automatically turn on flash in low light or suggest you do so, thus
helping you avoid taking a high-risk, existing-light picture. But if you
decide to brave it out and instead elect to cancel the flash and go for
a long existing-light exposure try
this:
Grasp
the left side of the camera firmly in the U formed by your left hand's
first two fingers and your thumb so your hand doesn't interfere with the
viewfinder. Grasp the right side, as we suggested for an SLR~ then move
in your elbows, brace yourself, breathe, and make the exposure as we
suggested when shooting with an SLR.
No tripod, try this Inexpensive Mono-pod
You can also make an inexpensive pocket size monopod by attaching a chain to a 1/4 eye bolt. Being careful not to screw it in too far screw it into the bottom of the camera. Put your foot on the chain and use an upward pressure to steady the camera.
