# Proper technique for holding camera in Portrait orientation with a DSLR



## dj_paige

My photos in Portrait orientation never come out as sharp as the photos in Landscape orientation. I assume it is my technique in holding the camera that is part of the problem. Any advice or tutorials?


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## Mark Sirota

I'm assuming you don't have a vertical grip...?  That's probably the best way.

You can find people advocating both orientations.  I like shutter button to the top because my left hand, which is already cradling the lens, can continue cradling the lens.  My left hand carries the weight of the camera and provides most of the stability.

But the other way is valid too.  It just takes thought and practice, either way.


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## Victoria Bampton

I'm right hand top too.


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## erro

I also turn the camera 1/4 counter-clockwise, so the right hand and shutter button comes on top. Left hand stays under the lens, supporting the weight, just as in the landscape orientation.


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## Brad Snyder

I'm with the others, for a few shots, 1/4 turn counter clockwise, right hand top. 
For my older CanonD300 I have a battery grip, with a portrait shutter release in a more natural position.
For my others, http://www.custombrackets.com/ generally with a monopod. I still end up holding the camera/lens in the left hand, with right hand on top for shutter release.


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## b_gossweiler

I'm a right-hand shutter-releaser also, with a vertical grip to give more stability. I turn 1/4 turn counter clockwise, my wife does it the other way around though, that's how we can tell who shot the photo 

Beat


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## johnbeardy

One other thing to consider is Nikon cameras usually offer a way to customise one of the buttons on the camera back, so you can focus with the shutter button but release with another finger. It may work for you.


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## Replytoken

I cannot imagine how one could effectively hold the camera with their right hand on the bottom.  Your right wrist is cocked backwards as your hand is both controlling the shutter and and holding the weight of the camera and lens.  I am sure some people do it, but I can imagine a quick case of tendonitis if it is done with any frequency.

--Ken


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## b_gossweiler

Replytoken said:


> I cannot imagine how one could effectively hold the camera with their right hand on the bottom.


 
I can't either


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## clee01l

Replytoken said:


> I cannot imagine how one could effectively hold the camera with their right hand on the bottom.  Your right wrist is cocked backwards as your hand is both controlling the shutter and and holding the weight of the camera and lens.  I am sure some people do it, but I can imagine a quick case of tendonitis if it is done with any frequency.
> 
> --Ken


I do it this way for added stability.  With the shutter hand on the bottom with the heel of the thumb pressed firmly into the chin and your right elbow tucked into the gut, you have a very stable platform for composing the frame.  The left hand is used only to steady the lens (Pitch and yaw).  My right forefinger is free to use the shutter and my thumb is used for the AF button on the camera back.  Since I am not holding the weight of the camera with the "lens hand", it is still available to fine tune using the manual focus override. 

It would seem to me that by holding the camera with the right hand on top pressed against your forehead, you have to lift the full weight of the camera with the strength of your righthand grip.  To take some of that suspended weight off the right hand grip, you need to support the lens weight with the left hand.  If you are using a zoom lens or needing the lefthand to focus,  you have to shift the camera weight off the left hand and take up that weight with the right hand grip.  To me this seems like a recipe for introducing motion in the camera.  Plus if you are gripping the camera grip tightly with the thumb and non-index finger, you can't effectively use the thumb to press AF button.

Now to introduce another issue:  Which eye do you use to look through the view finder?  I use the left (which is not the one I used to aim a rifle) My left eye is used for distance vision. and I t is the one I use to look through the viewfinder.  With the Camera 'hanging' from my righthand over my forehead, most of the camera blocks the right eye which means I need to take the camera down to use both eyes,  With the camera in the "righthand down" position, I just need to open my right eye to see the surrounding not in the viewfinder. 

I was taught to stabilize the camera (in landscape mode) by keeping both arms close to the chest and elbows tucked close to the body to make a stable triangle with the camera at the apex and the elbows making the base.   If keeping the arms close to the body is the most stable position, then righthand above the head and elbow out goes against that principle.


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## Mark Sirota

Thanks for arguing the other side!  As I said, I think either way is valid.

With either orientation, my left hand is cradling the weight of the camera and lens, and my fingers are still free to focus.  I don't have any zooms, so I can't speak to that, but I suspect with the LensBaby Composer what I'm saying is completely true.  In either orientation, my right hand is very light on the camera so that my shutter press doesn't upset the camera much.  I don't find that I have to support the camera by the grip in portrait mode.

You're quite right about the elbows, though.  And if it matters, I use my right eye.


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## Replytoken

Cletus,

As I would expect, you made some good points.  I am still not sure how my wrist would feel, but I will give consideration to your approach as you have clearly given this issue some thought and raised some valid concerns.  I appreciate you taking the time to provide such a detailed answer.

Thanks,

--Ken


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## clee01l

Replytoken said:


> Cletus,
> 
> As I would expect, you made some good points.  I am still not sure how my wrist would feel, but I will give consideration to your approach as you have clearly given this issue some thought and raised some valid concerns.  I appreciate you taking the time to provide such a detailed answer....--Ken


 FWIW, I sometimes find myself using "Righthand" up if I have a short light lens in the camera, but this is the exception in my case. .


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## dj_paige

Gotta try it both ways! Thanks!


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## wirehunt

Use it both ways.  Same as I tell trainee welders, you can't always use your natural hand.  But for the kicker, 9 out of 10 times their 'off hand' turns out to be their best...


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## jbourne

I turn the camera 1/4 turn and use my right hand at the top. Thumb on the AF button, index finger on release - left hand under lens. I've never owned a vertical grip. I have quite a steady hand but at one time I used to find that some shots in this orientation were more prone to shake until I realised that I was allowing my right elbow to wave in mid air. Once I started to bring my elbow back in I was able to get pretty much the same stability/sharpness as in landscape orientation. It felt quite awkward at first, and puts a little strain on your wrist, but with practice it becomes habitual. No substitute for a tripod though - so annoying. The other thing you can do is try to keep your shutter speed a little faster when shooting hand held in portrait orientation, & if that raises ISO further than you'd like - well its time to fetch the tripod out. 

Regards
John


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## Brad Snyder

jbourne said:


> ....until I realised that I was allowing my right elbow to wave in mid air. Once I started to bring my elbow back in I was able to get pretty much the same stability.......


 
I have the same problem with my golf swing....  

OK, back to the thread.


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