Camera holding technique

[armando_m]

Something new for me

I saw a video about holding the camera resting it on my left shoulder, facing sideways towards the photo subject, rather than the usual holding of the camera while facing towards the subject

Video link:  Joe McNally Da Grip

my experimenting results

1. sigma 150mm f2.8 macro lens, first version without OS
150mm 1/15 handheld My usual holding , near 100% crop


150mm 1/15 camera on my left shoulder


150mm 1/60 100% crop, shoulder then usual holding




and just for the hell of it, 20mm 1/4 sec

[PedroS]

Joe has been preaching it for long, and indeed, it's a good technique, just find it harder to hand focus, thought.
I've also tried for longer lenses.

[HCS]

Joe has been preaching it for long, and indeed, it's a good technique, just find it harder to hand focus, thought.
I've also tried for longer lenses.

I agree and it comes in handy some times. It's not really meant for manual focusing, even though one may be able to use one's left hand in a twist if one would practice enough 

I have used on quite some occasions, but usually only with the longer lenses, 85 and up. I find it doesn't add much for the shorter lenses.

[Jan Anne]

Great technique with longer AF lenses, kind of lost it's purpose when I went all manual focus with short lenses.

[John Geerts]

It's a good rifle-shoot-technique with longer lenses.  The holding of the camera depends on the type of body/camera, lens, scene, speed, light and purpose of the shot. 

You can get in situations with a manual lens and just one arm to trigger and try the best of it

[Jørgen Ramskov]

It's a good rifle-shoot-technique with longer lenses.  The holding of the camera depends on the type of body/camera, lens, scene, speed, light and purpose of the shot.

I just tried it and while I certainly got better shots with the technique, it's not something that's really useful with a D750 sized body, unless I'm doing something wrong. I speculate that a grip would change it. Christmas wish for me perhaps?

[HCS]

... it's not something that's really useful with a D750 sized body, unless I'm doing something wrong. I speculate that a grip would change it. Christmas wish for me perhaps?

Yep, it works better with a grip, because you can jam that into your shoulder. I used it more often with my D3s than now with the D810 for that reason.

[JJChan]

I'm small so worked well for me without grip and even manual focus.
I used it a lot when I shot left eye but as I've gotten older my right eye is 'clearer' so I'm now a right eye shooter - doesn't work for me anymore.

Just saw the video and Joe shoots left eye.

JJ

[tommiejeep]

My eyes are good  but unfortunately my feet are not  .  I have realized that my handholding  has gone south.  My hands are not shaky but , due to a bad course of Chemo and some circulation problems, my feet are dead.  So my entire body is unstable when standing.  I now have to sit in the dirt, mud to get the steadiest shot.  I've used this shoulder technique in the past with reasonable success  .  Sitting in a Café works for candids 
My foldup canvas chair and a tripod is the best bet but a pain for the way I shoot.

Tom

[ericbowles]

Joe McNally is left eyed - his left eye rather than his right is his dominant eye.  This technique works for everyone, but it's a lot better if you are left eye dominant.

[Olivier]

Impressive results Armando.

I tried with my X-T1 and found the eyepiece just in front of my mouth...
But who needs a viewfinder, just trust the force!

[Jakov Minić]

Olivier, may the force be with you
Shooting without looking through the viewfinder can be fun

[Akira]

Impressive results Armando.

I tried with my X-T1 and found the eyepiece just in front of my mouth...
But who needs a viewfinder, just trust the force!

Olivier, I gues a vertical grip VG-TX1 is more powerful than the force in this case...