Methods of holding smartphones when taking photos
Lesson 2: Elementary schools
Handle your camera
How to
Placing your smartphone at eye-level and holding your arms steady will help keep your image in focus.
Bracing your arms and holding the smartphone at an upper angle will help you capture a clear image.
Pulling your arms tightly against your torso will help you brace your camera and take a sharp image.
Steadying your arms in front of your body and only moving your finger to hit the shutter will ensure a clearer picture.
Using a tripod
How to hold your DSLR camera
Use a tripod or monopod to steady the camera and capture clear images. A monopod is more portable than a tripod, and it only has one leg. It is used mostly at sports events and in low light settings.
Hold the camera in your left hand and cradle the lens. With your left hand, focus the camera and adjust the settings. Use your right index finger to press the shutter.
Holding your camera
Whether you’re taking photos with a digital single-lens reflex 35 mm camera (DSLR), a “point-and-shoot” camera or a smart phone, photographers must understand how to hold the camera to steady it and to avoid blurred images. When you are using a DSLR camera, you have opportunities to use a variety of lenses, from macro (for taking extreme close-up nature photos) to standard 35 mm to telephoto. No matter what lens you use, when taking photos with a DSLR, it is important to cradle the lens in your left hand to steady it, pull the camera tightly against your face, focus and hold your breath just before you click the shutter. It also helps to brace your elbows on a ledge or other flat surface, almost becoming a “human tripod.” When you push the shutter, keep the camera as still as possible to avoid movement.
Using a tripod or monopod
Another way to stabilize your DSLR camera is to use either a tripod or monopod, especially when using a telephoto lens. Monopods are good to use when photographing sports events. Both will help you avoid camera blur.
Taking pics with smartphones
Sometimes our best cameras are within our smartphones. Most of us carry them with us, so they are readily available when we suddenly spot a good photo opportunity. When using a smartphone to take pictures, it is still important to steady the camera. Pulling your elbows into your torso will help you avoid camera movement. Some photographers prefer holding their arms straight out from their bodies. Others might rest their elbows on a ledge or other solid object. Holding your breath when you press the shutter button is a good idea as well. In some instances, using a cell phone tripod or cell phone holder will help photographers take sharp images.
Remembering resolution
When using smartphones, be sure to set your image control at the largest size possible. When you share those photos, email them to the recipient at the largest size. Although the resolution will only be 72 dpi, the actual photo size will be much larger than you will need for your yearbook. Once the photo is received via email, the recipient can change the resolution to 300 dpi, the best resolution for printed documents.
Additional resources: PowerPoint
Videos: 1. Cameral-handling techniques 2. Chris Bray’s lessons Curriculum: Photography Chapter 5 - page 25
CORE Standards for Photography - Speaking and Listening: - 5.1, 5.2, 5.4, 5.5 - page 24; Reading Standards: 5.7 - page 12; 5.4, 5.5, 5.6 - page 21
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Exercise 2 Divide the class into groups of 2-4 students. As a team, create a video or slide presentation showing how to take photos with a DSLR and with a smartphone.