Pressing the shutter.

ntenny · Nov 21, 2012

The "devoid of thought" bit reminds me of John Daido Loori's (I think no connection to Daido Moriyama) discussion of photography as a Zen student. And of course it's a well-known aspect of Zen Buddhism generally, though I've heard people suggest that it may be overstated in many Western views of Zen. I'm unsure of it myself; maybe I just don't have the knack of doing that no-mind state well, or maybe I actually disagree with it, but my experience is that I need to keep my mind checked in and focussed in order to feel that sense of the right time to release. I guess the "listen to *it*" frame makes more sense to me than the "devoid of thought" frame.

Not a trivial subject at all, IMHO.

-NT

E. von Hoegh · Nov 21, 2012

ntenny said:
The "devoid of thought" bit reminds me of John Daido Loori's (I think no connection to Daido Moriyama) discussion of photography as a Zen student. And of course it's a well-known aspect of Zen Buddhism generally, though I've heard people suggest that it may be overstated in many Western views of Zen. I'm unsure of it myself; maybe I just don't have the knack of doing that no-mind state well, or maybe I actually disagree with it, but my experience is that I need to keep my mind checked in and focussed in order to feel that sense of the right time to release. I guess the "listen to *it*" frame makes more sense to me than the "devoid of thought" frame.

Not a trivial subject at all, IMHO.

-NT

It isn't so much "devoid of thought" as being utterly in the moment and engaged with the task at hand, with no internal dialogue going on. I get there very easily doing some things, one of which is target shooting.

MattKing · Nov 21, 2012

E. von Hoegh said:
This reminds me of the perennial article in gun magazines about how to pull the trigger. It shows up once a year, just before or just after the article discussing whether or not the .30/.30 is adequate for whitetails.

At my photo club, I am regularly amazed by how many people express surprise and gratitude when we discuss these issues, because they have never had anyone help them with them before.

I tell people the following (this assumes a prism finder):

1. stand with weight evenly distributed between your feet, and weight on both the heels and balls of your feet;
2. square your body so it is facing directly toward your subject;
3. raise your camera to your eye and help support it by tucking your elbows into your body comfortably;
4. the camera should be resting comfortably in your hands - not gripped tightly in your hands;
5. all adjustments for focus and exposure and framing should be made to your satisfaction before moving to the instant of exposure;
6. self-assess whether you feel any unusual tension in your body, and deal with it by relaxing it;
7. inhale slowly but steadily, until you are comfortable, and then pause slightly;
8. exhale gently until you are about half way, then pause slightly;
9. squeeze the shutter release smoothly and carefully until the shutter releases, then pause very slightly thereafter;
10. finish exhaling; and
11. look again at the scene through the viewfinder, to see if something has appeared that may cause you to want to shoot another.

Most of the above can be done far more quickly than it takes to type it or read it, and it can easily be reduced to near unconscious habit.

As I understand it, the breathing part of the process is recommended by those who shoot firearms.

EDIT: as mentioned below by E. von Hoegh, it can help to take several deep, unhurried breaths before the "half" breath at the time of exposure.

E. von Hoegh · Nov 21, 2012

MattKing said:
At my photo club, I am regularly amazed by how many people express surprise and gratitude when we discuss these issues, because they have never had anyone help them with them before.

I tell people the following (this assumes a prism finder):

1. stand with weight evenly distributed between your feet, and weight on both the heels and balls of your feet;
2. square your body so it is facing directly toward your subject;
3. raise your camera to your eye and help support it by tucking your elbows into your body comfortably;
4. the camera should be resting comfortably in your hands - not gripped tightly in your hands;
5. all adjustments for focus and exposure and framing should be made to your satisfaction before moving to the instant of exposure;
6. self-assess whether you feel any unusual tension in your body, and deal with it by relaxing it;
7. inhale slowly but steadily, until you are comfortable, and then pause slightly;
8. exhale gently until you are about half way, then pause slightly;
9. squeeze the shutter release smoothly and carefully until the shutter releases, then pause very slightly thereafter;
10. finish exhaling; and
11. look again at the scene through the viewfinder, to see if something has appeared that may cause you to want to shoot another.

Most of the above can be done far more quickly than it takes to type it or read it, and it can easily be reduced to near unconscious habit.

As I understand it, the breathing part of the process is recommended by those who shoot firearms.

By taking several deep unhurried breaths, briefly holding then partially releasing the last, you can slow your heart rate considerably.

MattKing · Nov 21, 2012

E. von Hoegh said:
By taking several deep unhurried breaths, briefly holding then partially releasing the last, you can slow your heart rate considerably.

Thanks - I'll add that to the list!

ntenny · Nov 21, 2012

To some people it sounds like mystical nonsense, but breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth really does help. (Parents of small children: Teach your child to do this! Best tantrum-interruption strategy I ever found.)

-NT

E. von Hoegh · Nov 21, 2012

ntenny said:
To some people it sounds like mystical nonsense, but breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth really does help. (Parents of small children: Teach your child to do this! Best tantrum-interruption strategy I ever found.)

-NT

Yep! Thanks, I forgot this.

cliveh · Nov 21, 2012

MattKing said:
At my photo club, I am regularly amazed by how many people express surprise and gratitude when we discuss these issues, because they have never had anyone help them with them before.

I tell people the following (this assumes a prism finder):

1. stand with weight evenly distributed between your feet, and weight on both the heels and balls of your feet;
2. square your body so it is facing directly toward your subject;
3. raise your camera to your eye and help support it by tucking your elbows into your body comfortably;
4. the camera should be resting comfortably in your hands - not gripped tightly in your hands;
5. all adjustments for focus and exposure and framing should be made to your satisfaction before moving to the instant of exposure;
6. self-assess whether you feel any unusual tension in your body, and deal with it by relaxing it;
7. inhale slowly but steadily, until you are comfortable, and then pause slightly;
8. exhale gently until you are about half way, then pause slightly;
9. squeeze the shutter release smoothly and carefully until the shutter releases, then pause very slightly thereafter;
10. finish exhaling; and
11. look again at the scene through the viewfinder, to see if something has appeared that may cause you to want to shoot another.

Most of the above can be done far more quickly than it takes to type it or read it, and it can easily be reduced to near unconscious habit.

As I understand it, the breathing part of the process is recommended by those who shoot firearms.

EDIT: as mentioned below by E. von Hoegh, it can help to take several deep, unhurried breaths before the "half" breath at the time of exposure.

Matt, I have sometimes gone through a similar list to students and they look at me as though Im from another planet and should really be showing them the anti-motion gyroscopic app.

E. von Hoegh · Nov 21, 2012

cliveh said:
Matt, I have sometimes gone through a similar list to students and they look at me as though Im from another planet and should really be showing them the anti-motion gyroscopic app.

Lazy snots.

ntenny · Nov 21, 2012

E. von Hoegh said:
Lazy snots.

They're students; they're supposed to be lazy snots. The ones with some promise are the ones with minds open enough to say "yeah, yeah, right, crazy idea...hey, this *works*!"

-NT

lancekingphoto · Nov 21, 2012

I don't think anyone already explicitly noted this, but I've learned to hold still AFTER squeezing the shutter release. I find that it's easy to start moving slightly while taking the shot, especially when I'm eager to take another photo or so something else. Just pausing a second or so after shooting has helped prevent me from subconscious movement before I've actually pressed the shutter.

E. von Hoegh · Nov 21, 2012

lancekingphoto said:
I don't think anyone already explicitly noted this, but I've learned to hold still AFTER squeezing the shutter release. I find that it's easy to start moving slightly while taking the shot, especially when I'm eager to take another photo or so something else. Just pausing a second or so after shooting has helped prevent me from subconscious movement before I've actually pressed the shutter.

That's called "follow through". Shooters use it too.

cliveh · Nov 21, 2012

Perhaps we should give examples of hand held shots at slow shutter speeds. My best one is this (can be found in the gallery) taken in Southern Ireland at 1/4 second. I remember pressing my back against awall to steady the shot.

fstop · Nov 21, 2012

Some people get it some don't. Those who do, get the shots that people always say "wow how did he get that"

It takes work,don't be lazy about it.If you don't understand what MattKing posted, don't bother picking up the camera.

Yes follow through, but in action photography knowing when to start to lead is the key thing and this is only learned by making a few thousand images and having a gut instict.

elekm · Nov 21, 2012

Your body should be relaxed. A tense body is more prone to shaking, while a relaxed body won't move as much.

Sirius Glass · Nov 21, 2012

MattKing said:
At my photo club, I am regularly amazed by how many people express surprise and gratitude when we discuss these issues, because they have never had anyone help them with them before.

I tell people the following (this assumes a prism finder):

1. stand with weight evenly distributed between your feet, and weight on both the heels and balls of your feet;
2. square your body so it is facing directly toward your subject;
3. raise your camera to your eye and help support it by tucking your elbows into your body comfortably;
4. the camera should be resting comfortably in your hands - not gripped tightly in your hands;
5. all adjustments for focus and exposure and framing should be made to your satisfaction before moving to the instant of exposure;
6. self-assess whether you feel any unusual tension in your body, and deal with it by relaxing it;
7. inhale slowly but steadily, until you are comfortable, and then pause slightly;
8. exhale gently until you are about half way, then pause slightly;
9. squeeze the shutter release smoothly and carefully until the shutter releases, then pause very slightly thereafter;
10. finish exhaling; and
11. look again at the scene through the viewfinder, to see if something has appeared that may cause you to want to shoot another.

Most of the above can be done far more quickly than it takes to type it or read it, and it can easily be reduced to near unconscious habit.

As I understand it, the breathing part of the process is recommended by those who shoot firearms.

EDIT: as mentioned below by E. von Hoegh, it can help to take several deep, unhurried breaths before the "half" breath at the time of exposure.

What he said.

Yashinoff · Nov 22, 2012

Remember to aim the camera away from your face when pressing the button too.

pdeeh · Nov 22, 2012

I jab at it angrily with a stiffened forefinger.

Poisson Du Jour · Nov 22, 2012

Sirius Glass said:
What he said.

Well, maybe.
By the time that checklist is walked through, the scene has changed or gone.

MattKing · Nov 22, 2012

Poisson Du Jour said:
Well, maybe.
By the time that checklist is walked through, the scene has changed or gone.

At first, you are right.

But once the steps become ingrained as habit, the only parts that are slow are those that work because they are slow (e.g. unhurried breaths).

bobwysiwyg · Nov 23, 2012

I know some have expressed distaste for them, but I aquired a pair of soft touch release buttons that screw into/onto the stock shutter release on my FE and FM years ago. I find them most useful in this regard. Cured my "stabbing" immediately.

Diapositivo · Nov 24, 2012

bobwysiwyg said:
I know some have expressed distaste for them, but I aquired a pair of soft touch release buttons that screw into/onto the stock shutter release on my FE and FM years ago. I find them most useful in this regard. Cured my "stabbing" immediately.

Can anybody explain to me how the "soft touch" release button is made?
I thought it was just something you screw on the release button to have a larger surface to press your finger on. In which sense is it "softer"?

Or does it have some sort of probe activating the shutter like the one in a cable release? In that case maybe it is softer because there is a soft spring and no need to win the resistance of the camera shutter release which is probably a bit stiffer. Is it that?

E. von Hoegh · Nov 24, 2012

Diapositivo said:
Can anybody explain to me how the "soft touch" release button is made?
I thought it was just something you screw on the release button to have a larger surface to press your finger on. In which sense is it "softer"?

Or does it have some sort of probe activating the shutter like the one in a cable release? In that case maybe it is softer because there is a soft spring and no need to win the resistance of the camera shutter release which is probably a bit stiffer. Is it that?

Soft touch is merely a large diameter button that increases the area your fingertip contacts. It screws into the cable release threads.

Diapositivo · Nov 24, 2012

E. von Hoegh said:
Soft touch is merely a large diameter button that increases the area your fingertip contacts. It screws into the cable release threads.

OK but then, why is it called "soft"? It shouldn't make the shutter release any softer, should it? What usefulness can it provide in real use?

E. von Hoegh · Nov 24, 2012

Diapositivo said:
OK but then, why is it called "soft"? It shouldn't make the shutter release any softer, should it? What usefulness can it provide in real use?

Marketing.

I got one with one of my bodies, found it awkward and prone to snagging on things, so don't use it. There's an analogous accessory for guns called a "trigger shoe".

If you like them, if they make the shutter button feel better to you, then they're a good thing. I do use a trigger shoe on one of my guns, a rebarreled Mauser with a very narrow trigger - it gives a better feel for when it breaks.

Pressing the shutter.

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