Remedy for shaky hands?

[SpecialK012287]

I recently went to a local fair and went crazy with my camera, taking 177 photos. Out of 177 photos only SIX came out, the rest ruined because I have really shaky hands. Some of the photos I took of signs were so blurry you couldn't even read what was on the sign.

Does anybody have any suggestions on how to reduce the shaking in my hands and in the pictures? I shot with a Nikon D50, a pretty nice camera, so I don't think the camera is the culprit in this case. I appreciate any help, thank you!

 

[Dweller]

What lens were you using on your D50?

In a nutshell, you need a faster shutter speed. You can get that by opening up the aperture or increasing the ISO. You can also use a monopod or tripod to reduce or eliminate shake. There are also techniques for holding the camera that can help keep things steady. I know I have seen a short video done by Joe McNally (probably on his blog somewhere, but I can not find it now) that describes a couple ways of holding the camera.

Perhaps by posting some examples someone here can offer more specific tips.

 

[Flash Harry]

Tripod & remote release or very high shutter speeds, which isn't always possible, try locking your elbows into your ribs n steady the camera with the forehead. H

 

[SpecialK012287]

This is what happened with all my pictures when I would shoot them. I took this same photo 9 times before admitting defeat and moved on. My hands are so shaky that I sometimes shake the tripod too, lol.

 

[epp_b]

Post the EXIF data for that photo so we can see if you're hands are really that shaky or if you need to learn more about exposure.

 

[Phelan]

Just before taking a picture, take a deep breath and slowly let half of it out then hold your breath while taking the actual shot. Also keep your elbows in close to your body and feet shoulder width apart so your body is a stable platform.

Holding steady to take a photo is much the same as holding steady to shoot a gun.

 

[Overread]

to find the exif data for a photo right click on the photo on your computer - go to the properties. Then in the properties window click on the details tab - from there scroll down to find the following info:
Shutter speed
Aperture
ISO

 

[Crazydad]

A VR (vibration reduction) lens can help. First thing to do is open the aperture and bump the ISO to see if you can get a fast enough shutter speed, like 1/125 or faster. If the lighting still dictates a slower shutter, then VR can be a life saver.

With the VR lens that came with my D60, I have been able to get decent shots down to as low as 1/3rd sec hand held (I say decent, because I had the ISO up to 1600, so they are a bit noisy, but better than not having them at all).