Hold It!

The first time I held a DSLR, I first thing I had to re-learn was how to hold a camera properly.

This came quite naturally with my borrowed Nikon D80, due to its bigger build and weight. With the D40's lightweight design, I tend to forget at times, especially when everything's on AUTO (point-and-shoot) mode, especially with the lens in Auto-Focus mode.

Most people, including me, have point-and-shoot cameras and are used to holding them at the sides. After years and years of holding cameras that way, the re-learning process can take quite a while...until you realise that you need to hold the lens somehow to zoom in and out and to focus manually.

With a DSLR camera, I learned to grip the right side of the camera with my right hand, with my forefinger resting lightly on the shutter release button, while I cradle the bottom of the camera with my left, with the fingers of my left hand wrapped loosely around the lens.

You can find more details on how to do this here and here. Lots of photos on the right and wrong way of holding a DSLR camera here.

This type of handling is dual-purpose:
1) to reduce camera shake; and
2) to enable you to adjust the focus of the lens with your left hand.

The way a person holds a camera is a dead give-away of his/her experience with DSLR's. I may be a newbie, but when I saw takegreatpictures.com's feature "Celebrities Who Shoot", it was clear as day to me who normally does and who doesn't.

Can you spot the fake in this photo, this one and this one? :)