Exercises/drills to improve hand steadiness?

[Whiteymorange]

A Kodak book on shooting with available light had advice on developing a steady hand. They suggested that you tape a mirror to your camera aimed a few degrees to the side. Set up a point light source (a flashlight was suggested) in a dimly lit room, and stand, aiming your camera at the light. The spot of light that is reflected onto a nearby wall will show your hand movements, greatly magnified. Practice holding steady until the light doesn't move.

Don't know if it would work for you, but it's cheaper than simply shooting until you get sharp images.

 

[copake_ham]

Quit drinking whiskey, quit drinking coffee, quit smoking, get enough sleep. Try holding your breath while pressing the shutter release, all come to mind.
When all this fails, then get the tripod. Then you can take up the bad habits again.

Best regards,

Bill

I imagine the first four would be beneficial - and also qualify you to join a Tibetan monastery.

As to the last point - I was taught that you shoot on the exhale and that holding one's breath tenses the body and introduces shake....

 

[copake_ham]

Cut down on American coffee (ground variety). This weekend past, I went to a village scarecrow competition close to where I live. People had built amazing scarecrows outside their houses.Great photo opportunities. The whole village was a kind of "open house" and at one house a genuine Texas lady was serving genuine Texas coffee. Very nice but very strong. I was super alert after one cup, would have defended the Alamo after two and chased the Mexicans back across the Rio Grande after three and been banned from competing in the Tour de France for life!

If I drank as much coffee as I do tea and I don't do that excessively, I'd be seriously "twitchy".

pentaxuser

It's amazing.

There was a time, not more than a decade ago when Europeans thought our coffee was weak!

Guess it's the "Starbucks Effect"!

Oh, and the Dutch emigre Peet who founded Peet's Coffee in San Francisco in the '60's and introduced Americans to strong, rich roasted coffee....

Sadly, he just died last week.....

But at a ripe, rich, full bodied old age!

 

[MattKing]

Steadiness starts from the feet. Make sure you are relaxed and balanced on your feet.

Find a comfortable position such that your elbows and arms are tucked in close to your body and resting against it when the camera is at your eye.

Your neck and shoulders need to be relaxed as well.

The camera needs to rest in your hands - you don't want to be holding on tight.

Breath in smoothly then start to exhale. When you are half finished exhaling, pause slightly and squeeze the shutter smoothly and somewhat slowly.

Stay stationary for at least 1 full second after the shutter fires.

Matt

 

[Sirius Glass]

As you aim the camera and breathe, between the heartbeat, the breathing and the natural rhythm of the body swaying, there will be a limit cycle. This is a circular or elliptical pattern that the camera lens will repeatedly swings through. Hold your breathe or let it out, whatever works best for you, and pick the time when the movement in the limit cycle is minimum - that is when to shoot.

Hunters and snipers use this trick.

Steve