How important it is stabilizing your camera specially when using slow shutter speed and keep the ISO low

Katie Conlon from ProAM USA wrote to us:

“Hi There!
My name is Katie Conlon and I’m a recent college graduate writing for ProAm USA. I am very passionate about film and photography and I’m now in charge of ProAm’s blog, as well as other content opportunities.
I really liked your site and was wondering if you accept free guest articles. Please let me know if this is a collaboration that interests you.
Thanks so much for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you!
Katie Conlon

Content & Outreach”

I asked her to write an article for our blog about the importance of stabilizing cameras. I always appreciate other photographers ideas and I always learn something new from other fellow photographers. She wrote a short article for us and I wanted to share it with all of you guys. Here I thank Katie one more time and looking forward to seeing more article from her and all of you amazing people.

Stabilizing Your Camera

By Katie Conlon

An unsteady camera will yield blurry shots. By stabilizing the camera, you may be able to capture clearer, higher quality shots in a variety of situations that would have only yielded poor quality, blurry shots before. There are many ways to stabilize a digital camera and there are many reasons that you may wish to do so.

Keeping Shutter Speeds Low

Depending on the type of shot that you are trying to capture, you may wish to keep the shutter speeds low. This can introduce an element of blur and movement into the photograph. By stabilizing the camera, you assume more control over the way that the image appears. You can also play with the aperture and lighting with greater ease when the camera is stabilized on a tripod.

Keeping ISO Low

By keeping the ISO low, you can achieve a finer grained image that appears crisper to the eye. This may be a better option in good lighting with a stationary object. Using a tripod will help you to photograph the subject as clearly as possible when you keep the ISO low, especially if you also keep the shutter speed low.

If lighting is lower or subjects are moving, you may wish to raise the ISO slightly. Keeping the camera stable can still be beneficial as you adjust to higher ISO settings. Keeping the camera steady even as objects move in the shot can help you to reduce the noise in the photo and hone in on certain elements.

Image Stabilize-Enabled Cameras

Cameras with image stabilization built in may allow you to capture clearer shots, especially if the camera must be held. Static objects will appear clearer when image stabilization is turned on, though the same may not be true for moving objects. Images that are moving may actually appear blurrier when you turn the option on, so it is important to test the waters and try the shot both ways.

Using Tripods and Supports for Image Stabilization

Tripods can provide superior stabilization for a camera, while also freeing you to move around and adjust other elements of the scene. If you are looking for a clear shot of a stationary image, a tripod can make it relatively simple for you to achieve this. Camera cranes and jibs can help you to capture clear shots from more interesting vantage points, which may be great for nature shots and set scenes.

There are many options for image stabilization and different approaches may work better for different situations. Try different equipment and options and remember that each scene provides unique opportunities for creativity.

That is all for now folks. Stay tuned for more articles or check our UPCOMING CLASSES for new photography workshops.

Ted and the Omnilargess Team