[HUG] Re: Boneheads

To those who know better........
I run workshops and take people on field trips and I am always amused by watching people who know they have to bring a tripod, but they never use the thing! They spend all of their time trying to balance the tripod as it leans against their thigh or hip while they hand-hold their camera for picture taking. When I suggest they use the tripod they answer, "I was just taking a quick picture."
It seems there is a gap in the market for 'Tripod Workshops' - but then again, I don't think anyone will attend. 

Here's to sharp pictures

Harry.


camera outings
----- Original Message ----- From: "Stein" <rstein@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
To: <hasselblad@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 3:57 PM
Subject: [HUG] Boneheads



Dear Friends,

I have just checked the archives, cleaned the cat hair out of the
keyboard, and am prepared to start annoying people.

I spent my weekend at a Medieval Fayre in a town that grows mud for
export. The physics of a long wool garment and capillary action ensured that 
I was able to bring a good deal of that mud home. But I also brought home
the memory of some truly appalling camera work.

Not mine, I hasten to add. I learned a long time ago to hang onto an
Enfield or a Graflex with both hands and my arms held firmly into my body. I 
learned to use the power of opposing muscle groups to steady myself - I
still use this in my profession but use smaller holds and rests.

I applauded the Canon people for the use of rubber forehead pads on
some of their high-end Super 8 cameras - and I remember that Eumig did the
same. They obviously recognised that the frontal bone of the forehead was
the place to push against to steady a movie camera.

I do the same with the three points hold - eyepiece of the
Hasselblad prism, flash bracket, and focus ring. I get away with 1/60 even
in the Medieval battles, though the sword strokes are distorted. But look at 
the others using P/S digitals and camcorders....

The vast majority had their cameras out at arm's length like Leica
O's but with a sort of 3 finger grip. The camcorders used one hand and used 
the other to continuously tilt screens. Tripods were non-existent. I can
only speculate as to the results, particularly as combat photography does
not permit time lag. Perhaps it's be a kindness to realise that most of the 
exposures made will be wiped or forgotten.

Moral of this posting? Brace, hold your breath - a max of 4 seconds,
squeeze the shutter release, don't jerk it, and don't wear long wool robes
in Balingup!

Uncle Dick

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