Seward, Alaska. sea otter
Photographers like tack sharp images, so we do everything we can to stabilize our cameras. Tripods do the trick…except when you don’t have one. I photograph a lot of travel, and most times I am roaming the streets shooting hand held. Being spontaneous is important with street photography. I can increase my ISO and open up my aperture to let in more light and shoot at faster shutter speeds. But you can also go ‘old school’ and work on how you hold your camera. And one variation I use frequently is balancing my camera on my shoulder for more stability. Sound awkward…well, you’re right it is. But read on!
First, figure out if you are left or right eye dominant. If you are left eye dominant, you’re in luck. To support my camera, I twist to my left, rest the body on my left should using my right hand…and my left hand supports the lens (see photo above). Now here is the bad news. If you are right eye dominant, this technique doesn’t work. Trying to rest the camera on your right shoulder and holding it with your right hand is probably less stable then holding your camera in a traditional way. But if you are left eye dominant, give it a try. I am amazed at the stability this technique provides shooting hand held.