SHOOT WITHOUT TRIPOD SUPPORT

it’s not always possible to set up tripods, for security and practicality, so learn to work handheld

1 ADOPT CORRECT STANCE

it is essential that you minimise vibrations, to maintain sharpness. hold the camera close to your body, tuck in your arms and support the lens with your other hand for stability.

2 USE A MONOPOD

Monopods are often allowed in places where tripods are prohibited. use a self-timer to avoid pressing the shutter button, and apply downward pressure on the monopod.

3 ISO 1600

Many cityscape images can be spoiled by the shutter speed dropping unexpectedly as the photographer moves into different lighting. set isO 1600 to guarantee there is enough shutter speed.

4 SET MINIMUM SHUTTER SPEED

Another safeguard is to set a minimum shutter speed, so you can be confident that the shutter speed will never fall beyond that at which you are able to hold the camera still.

5 SHOOT IN BURST MODE

set your camera to continuous shooting mode and fire bursts of frames, instead of single images. this increases the possibility of capturing a perfectly sharp frame.

6 USE THE VIEWFINDER

hold the camera close to your body to increase the steadiness of your grip. show preference to the viewfinder as this will keep the setup close to your person in the ideal posture.

AFTER UNAIDED STABILITY the administrators of many well-known landmarks do not permit the use of tripods. in lowlight conditions, such as in this sunrise image, knowing alternative methods of keeping your camera steady is of huge benefit – allowing...