The Low Light Photography Field Guide

Steadying Techniques

The ability to hold a camera steady tends to be assumed, and the general opinion is that you either can or cannot. In fact, it can always be improved by following certain techniques and by training yourself in specific ways.

In normal lighting and with standard camera settings, this is rarely an issue, as shutter speeds of at least 1/125 sec are usually possible. When the shutter speed needs to be longer, as in 1/30 sec, 1/15 sec and slower, camera shake becomes a pressing problem. At worst, you lose shots, while at best you waste time checking the image after each shot to confirm that it is sharp. Low light photography, with its typically slow shutter speeds, is when you most need to be able to hold a camera steadily enough ...