Holding Camera when shooting portrait layout

Stoppable · 16th May 2003

Have actually noticed that not everyone hold their cameras the same way when shooting in portrait layouts. Is your right hand over or under the camera.

Maybe experts here can give some comments?

jOhO · 16th May 2003

hmm is there an "expert" way to hold a portrait shot? i just thot it's whichever way u feel comfortable in and that u can hold the camera steady. for me it's right hand under camera.

espn · 16th May 2003

I speak from experience using a 5700 without a vertical battery grip.

I will have to hold the camera over it so that I can depress the shutter button, thus letting everybody smell my BO.

Now with the vertical grip I can hold the bottom of the camera and use the vertical shutter release button to take my potraits.

I assume bottom is the right side of the camera when rotated 90 degrees, and over is the top side of the camera when rotated 90 degrees for portrait shots

ckiang · 16th May 2003

Right hand over camera. This is by far more natural for me, and more stable too, especially when using a long lens.

And if you used vertical grip, noticed that the camera is also in that same orientation.

Regards
CK

sulhan · 16th May 2003

I ever saw a photographer hold the camera with the hand over the head holding the camera in vertical orientation and lean against the lamppost...its almost evening and i think due to the slow shutter his using......he used that method to minimise shake...

regards,
me

mervlam · 16th May 2003

"over" is more stable. "under" is prone to shake.

Stoppable · 16th May 2003

Quote:

Originally posted by mervlam
"over" is more stable. "under" is prone to shake.

Yah, that is what I feel too.

But a friend of mine shoots with right under becos the date would appear at the top right corner if he shoots with right hand over the camera. And by shooting right hand under, the date would appear at the right bottom, a little more discreet.

Of course, not all of us use the date imprint, theredfore doesn't matter.

Kho King · 16th May 2003

check those Nikon or any other photography manual, they will tell u Over is the correct way.

Prismatic · 16th May 2003

It's better to shoot with your hand over the camera if without a grip because when you depress the shutter button, the camera base will be supported by your forearm.

jovedaddy · 16th May 2003

every tried hand under and using you thumb to press the shutter realease instead of index? i know it sounds awkward... but you really have to try it out to appreciate the logic

i find that the most comfortable for me cos the camera's weight is almost entirely on the right palm (as oposed to right over where the camera is held by the fingers) ... and the left is used for added stability on the lens. and if you need to move the camera away from your face for a little while, you can just take your left hand away and swing it away without re-orientating the camera. moreover, if you are comfortable with that position, you can even shoot with one hand

... provided you don't have too heavy a lens on the body

szekiat · 20th May 2003

i believe the two methods should be used equally depending on the situation. Honestly, it depends on which side i want to land my subjects shadow on when using flash. In addition, it may not always be possible to shoot with hand on top with the flash facing your left if there happens to be an irritatingly tall person/object in the way....just my 2c worth of course...

binbeto · 20th May 2003

Hand over the camera is more comfortable.

However, Hand under the camera is most stable. It allows you to tuck in your both hand for better support.

jOhO · 21st May 2003

Quote:

Originally posted by jovedaddy
every tried hand under and using you thumb to press the shutter realease instead of index? i know it sounds awkward... but you really have to try it out to appreciate the logic

i find that the most comfortable for me cos the camera's weight is almost entirely on the right palm (as oposed to right over where the camera is held by the fingers) ... and the left is used for added stability on the lens. and if you need to move the camera away from your face for a little while, you can just take your left hand away and swing it away without re-orientating the camera. moreover, if you are comfortable with that position, you can even shoot with one hand ... provided you don't have too heavy a lens on the body

yeah that's how i do it! using the thumb. er.. thot that's wat this poll meant?

then again now that i think about it, u can use the index finger and still have hand under the cam, but i never do it that way. kinda like contorting ur arm abit ain't it?

patch17 · 5th July 2003

I use both ways. Right hand over, if the camera i'm using has a motor drive, right hand under if i'm manually winding the camera. (sometimes the film advance lever knocks on my forhead, specially in the "stand-by" position, using the right hand over method.)

And yes, using the thumb to fire shutter is much more comfortable in the right hand under position. (but note, some of the later cameral bodies have controls at the back which require your thumb to manipulate.)

Kira · 8th July 2003

According to the article below it's more stable when your right hand is under. But then again, whan really matters is that the picture comes out good right?

http://www.nikonians.org/html/resour...dholding1.html

SzennyBoy · 10th July 2003

Quote:

Originally posted by Kira
According to the article below it's more stable when your right hand is under. But then again, whan really matters is that the picture comes out good right?

http://www.nikonians.org/html/resour...dholding1.html

Contrary to jrp's recommendation, I've always used the "right hand over" method with large SLR bodies. Its feels more natural to rotate into that position.

But when using my RF body, I use the "right hand under" and trip the shutter with my thumb only because I have a left master-eye and I can use the right eye to see what's going on around plus I don't like the have my left hand obscuring the viewfinder while focusing.

Robin · 1st May 2004

Always used right over....but couple of times tried right under....and it feels more stable....

choen · 1st May 2004

There's no right or wrong in this!

Whatever gives you more desired results would be the better method for you!

justarius · 1st May 2004

I normally use right hand under...it feels better to me instead right hand over (dunno if the fact that I'm a left hander have some bearing on how comfortable I am with either position... of course if I had my way, it would be left hand over/under instead

)

Jed · 1st May 2004

Since this is ClubSNAP, I have another recommendation. Go buy a camera with a vertical release.

View Poll Results: How Do You Hold Your Camera When Shooting in Portrait Layout
Right Hand Over Camera	186	81.58%
Right Hand Under Camera	42	18.42%
Voters: 228. You may not vote on this poll

16th May 2003	#1
Stoppable Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Serangoon Posts: 508	Holding Camera when shooting portrait layout Have actually noticed that not everyone hold their cameras the same way when shooting in portrait layouts. Is your right hand over or under the camera. Maybe experts here can give some comments?

16th May 2003	#5
sulhan Advertiser Join Date: May 2002 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 4,055	Ever seen the circus act.....? I ever saw a photographer hold the camera with the hand over the head holding the camera in vertical orientation and lean against the lamppost...its almost evening and i think due to the slow shutter his using......he used that method to minimise shake... regards, me

16th May 2003	#8
Kho King Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,799	check those Nikon or any other photography manual, they will tell u Over is the correct way. __________________ KOH KHO KING http://ShaShinKi.com ~ Malaysia Online Camera Shop! :cool:

20th May 2003	#12
binbeto Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Behind a lens Posts: 2,384	Hand over the camera is more comfortable. However, Hand under the camera is most stable. It allows you to tuck in your both hand for better support. __________________ Visit my Homepage if you have time. Comments appreciated.

16th May 2003	#2
jOhO Moderator Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Singapore Posts: 6,465	hmm is there an "expert" way to hold a portrait shot? i just thot it's whichever way u feel comfortable in and that u can hold the camera steady. for me it's right hand under camera.

16th May 2003	#3
espn Deregistered Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Planet Nikon Posts: 22,045	I speak from experience using a 5700 without a vertical battery grip. I will have to hold the camera over it so that I can depress the shutter button, thus letting everybody smell my BO. Now with the vertical grip I can hold the bottom of the camera and use the vertical shutter release button to take my potraits. I assume bottom is the right side of the camera when rotated 90 degrees, and over is the top side of the camera when rotated 90 degrees for portrait shots

16th May 2003	#4
ckiang Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Singapore Posts: 6,597	Right hand over camera. This is by far more natural for me, and more stable too, especially when using a long lens. And if you used vertical grip, noticed that the camera is also in that same orientation. Regards CK

16th May 2003	#6
mervlam Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 2,422	"over" is more stable. "under" is prone to shake.

16th May 2003	#9
Prismatic Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: In the void. Posts: 1,215	It's better to shoot with your hand over the camera if without a grip because when you depress the shutter button, the camera base will be supported by your forearm.

16th May 2003	#10
jovedaddy Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Sengkang Posts: 391	every tried hand under and using you thumb to press the shutter realease instead of index? i know it sounds awkward... but you really have to try it out to appreciate the logic i find that the most comfortable for me cos the camera's weight is almost entirely on the right palm (as oposed to right over where the camera is held by the fingers) ... and the left is used for added stability on the lens. and if you need to move the camera away from your face for a little while, you can just take your left hand away and swing it away without re-orientating the camera. moreover, if you are comfortable with that position, you can even shoot with one hand ... provided you don't have too heavy a lens on the body

20th May 2003	#11
szekiat Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: London Posts: 2,378	i believe the two methods should be used equally depending on the situation. Honestly, it depends on which side i want to land my subjects shadow on when using flash. In addition, it may not always be possible to shoot with hand on top with the flash facing your left if there happens to be an irritatingly tall person/object in the way....just my 2c worth of course...

5th July 2003	#14
patch17 Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: here and there Posts: 743	I use both ways. Right hand over, if the camera i'm using has a motor drive, right hand under if i'm manually winding the camera. (sometimes the film advance lever knocks on my forhead, specially in the "stand-by" position, using the right hand over method.) And yes, using the thumb to fire shutter is much more comfortable in the right hand under position. (but note, some of the later cameral bodies have controls at the back which require your thumb to manipulate.) __________________ Today is a gift; that's why it's called the present. The toys

8th July 2003	#15
Kira Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Singapore, West Area Posts: 546	According to the article below it's more stable when your right hand is under. But then again, whan really matters is that the picture comes out good right? http://www.nikonians.org/html/resour...dholding1.html

1st May 2004	#17
Robin Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Tanah Merah Posts: 646	Always used right over....but couple of times tried right under....and it feels more stable....

1st May 2004	#18
choen Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: the mind Posts: 101	There's no right or wrong in this! Whatever gives you more desired results would be the better method for you!

1st May 2004	#19
justarius Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Western side of Singapore Posts: 1,163	I normally use right hand under...it feels better to me instead right hand over (dunno if the fact that I'm a left hander have some bearing on how comfortable I am with either position... of course if I had my way, it would be left hand over/under instead )

1st May 2004	#20
Jed Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: UK Posts: 3,389	Since this is ClubSNAP, I have another recommendation. Go buy a camera with a vertical release.