Sniper techniques for tricky low light

photography without a tripod Written by Jim T May (http://trick-photography.org)

When shooting in low light conditions, a tripod is absolutely essential. It can be very tricky to

get clear and sharp photos because of the camera shake from your hands. The problem is that

tripods are heavy and clunky. They take up so much space that you only carry them around if

you are certain you'll be using it.

But photography is supposed to be spontaneous! Sometimes you just don't have a tripod with

you when you need to shoot in low light conditions. This is when you'll need to get creative and

start thinking more like a sniper. Yes, a sniper, as in an elite marksman who shoots target using

a high-precision rifle from long range.

Why snipers?

When you think about it, a sniper needs to be extremely steady with their rifle. They need to be

able to hit a very small target from a very large distance away; a slight shake will throw off their

aim completely. They have only one shot because firing their rifle will give off their position.

The stakes are rarely as high in the photography world, but surely we can learn something from

them.

Being prepared is key

A sniper is always aware of his situation. He knows his mark, his environment, his equipment,

and his own capabilities. This applies to the photographer. Without a tripod, you'll need to

consider how to capture your subject, while thinking about how to utilize the available light

that you have. You might even take another look at your equipment to see if you can fashion a

makeshift tripod.

Brace against something

The classic sniper position is prone, and using a sandbag or bipod to steady the rifle. This way

the sniper does not have to constantly carry the full weight of the rifle while making minute

adjustments to their aim. Likewise you can find some object lying around to help keep your

camera stationary before you release the shutter. You can hug a street lamp or lean against a

wall if you need to hold the camera with your hands.

Trigger on exhale

After all that preparation, it would be a shame to mess up the shot with camera shake when we

depress the shutter release button. We often introduce a small jerky motion either to the

camera when we press the button with our finger. So it is recommended to remotely activate

the shutter. But if that is not available there are extra things we can do.

Snipers use breathing techniques to minimize barrel motion when squeezing the trigger. In fact,

some go even further and shoot between heartbeats for better accuracy. The lesson here is

that if you want steady hands, then you'll need to relax and get your heartbeat down. You'll

have problems taking long shutter speed photos if you're excited or tensed up. Breathe

normally and lightly depress the shutter release near the end of the exhale. Do this and you'll

be able to reduce camera shake to a minimum. The key is to stabilize the camera as much as

possible without Try it and you'll be surprised with the results!

Jim blogs about trick photography and special effects techniques, that people use to create stunning

photographs. You can sign up at his Trick Photography site to receive a free report on the top 10 trick

photography ideas for travel photos. Please feel free to share this document with your family and

friends if you think it’ll interest them, thanks!