Am I strange? (in the way I hold my cameras)

Brian G

Brian G

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I'm right-handed and when I shoot in "portrait" orientation, I find I automatically hold my camera with the release button "down" and the weight resting on the palm of my right hand.
This is instinctive for me and I never even think about it when I hold a camera.
It would appear that I'm holding the camera differently to everyone else, and the preferred way seems to be to hold the camera with the shutter release upwards, and the camera sort of "hanging down" from the right hand, with the left hand supporting the weight.
I use my method because my right hand/arm supports the weight of the camera from below and my left hand is free to make adjustments to the lens.
I can lock my right elbow against my body to steady the camera, and if necessary I can shoot one-handed with the weight of the camera fully supported from underneath, with no danger of it slipping.

Does anyone else hold a camera in portrait mode the same way I do, and can anyone provide me with a convincing argument as to why I should change the way I hold?

My thought is, as long as you are comfortable and can hold the camera steady, it doesn't matter which way up you hold the camera.
 
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Your last line is the answer to the question above!
As long as you are comfortable, then why change.
 
Just tried it that way and found it very difficult, not unless I use my thumb to press the shutter button. I have to have the button at the top :)
 
I usually have mine "button up" in portrait mode, dangling from the battery bulge. Keeps it off my nose! If I'm using flash and feel that it would be better lit from my right rather than left, I'll happily go upside down to my normal grip. Whatever works best.
 
Funnily enough, when my Dad gave me my first film slr many many years ago, I used to hold it that way (maybe just copying my dad?) & found it comfortable.
After a break of 30 yrs I got a Dslr & started using longer/heavier lenses & found it easier to hold `release button up`. Maybe it's partly to do with all the buttons & menu's these days?
It did feel unnatural & take a bit of time to get used to initially, but I find it more comfortable & `button down` never occurs to me now.

Interestingly, my better half holds cameras `button down`. (small p&s etc)

As everyone has said, there isn't a right or wrong way, just which is comfortable & works for you.
 
I've got a grip on mine so hold it the same way as landscape. But I would have thought if its natural itll be comfortable
 
If standing up I hold it with the button up, if crouching, stooping or kneeling I sometimes hold it button down. Whatever works.
 
if i use a camera with no grip i use the camera with the button down so i can press it with my right thumb but if the camera has a grip i use it with the button up gripping the camera with my left hand but my circumstance are reasonably rare as i only have a thumb on my right hand ( accident at work over 30 years ago ) another way i hold the camera in landscape if it has a grip and i'm using a fairly short prime is to use the portrait button at the bottom resting the camera across my left hand which sounds a little awkward but i can steady the camera better that way i have a bit of a habit of tilting the camera when i use the normal button in portrait with my right thumb it seems the pressure needed to press the button tends to shift the camera if you get what i mean

for me holding the camera steady is the biggest challenge, getting a grip of it iv'e mastered that fairly well
 
Brian G said:
My thought is, as long as you are comfortable and can hold the camera steady, it doesn't matter which way up you hold the camera.
Click to expand...

How do you know that you are holding the camera as steady as you could be? Could your current technique limit you in the future with different types of cameras, controls, features, focusing (e.g., manual), etc.?
 
I do it both ways, most often with the shutter down.

I'm weird though as sometimes I also rotate 6x6 folding cameras by ninety degrees forgetting that they produce square images!


Steve.
 
I normally hold the camera 'shutter down' when vertical but I use my left eye so it makes a pleasant change not to have my nose squashed against the screen. I have been trying to hold it 'shutter up' more as, as someone pointed out, most of the weight is then on the left hand just as in landscape mode.
 
More often than not my natural way of holding is with the camera button down ie turning the camera clockwise (looking from the back) for portrait view.

This probably originates from when I used to do a lot of work with a hammerhead flash gun mounted on the left hand side of the camera (looking from the back) and by turning the camera clockwise for portrait shots would still keep the flash gun tube above the camera.

As others have said what feels right for you is all that matters.
 
Brian G said:
I'm right-handed and when I shoot in "portrait" orientation, I find I automatically hold my camera with the release button "down" and the weight resting on the palm of my right hand.
This is instinctive for me and I never even think about it when I hold a camera.
It would appear that I'm holding the camera differently to everyone else, and the preferred way seems to be to hold the camera with the shutter release upwards, and the camera sort of "hanging down" from the right hand, with the left hand supporting the weight.
I use my method because my right hand/arm supports the weight of the camera from below and my left hand is free to make adjustments to the lens.
I can lock my right elbow against my body to steady the camera, and if necessary I can shoot one-handed with the weight of the camera fully supported from underneath, with no danger of it slipping.

Does anyone else hold a camera in portrait mode the same way I do, and can anyone provide me with a convincing argument as to why I should change the way I hold?

My thought is, as long as you are comfortable and can hold the camera steady, it doesn't matter which way up you hold the camera.
Click to expand...

Hold camera same way as you. To me, holding other way round doesn't seem natural, the camera would strain my wrist and be less steady. I must add, I have shoulder disabilities but it seems right holding the current way, I must have always used like this.
 
skysh4rk said:
How do you know that you are holding the camera as steady as you could be? Could your current technique limit you in the future with different types of cameras, controls, features, focusing (e.g., manual), etc.?
Click to expand...
As far as I can recall I've always held a camera this way for 40+ years.
As I said, I can lock my right elbow against my body for extra stability, and I can shoot with an unstabilised lens and get sharp pictures at as low as 1/5 second, so I don't think I'm compromising steadiness in any way. All my 35mm cameras were manual focus and I don't see how the way I hold the camera could affect manual focussing. By cradling the weight in my right hand it leaves my left hand completely free to zoom, focus or do anything else.
Snapsh0t said:
I normally hold the camera 'shutter down' when vertical but I use my left eye so it makes a pleasant change not to have my nose squashed against the screen. I have been trying to hold it 'shutter up' more as, as someone pointed out, most of the weight is then on the left hand just as in landscape mode.
Click to expand...
Maybe that's the answer.
I'm also left-eyed so I find it more comfortable to view that way.
Mind you, nose against the screen was never an issue when I was using a film camera!
I feel more secure holding one-handed when I'm supporting the weight of the camera from underneath.
 
Phil V said:
What they said - but when you hold the camera in a landscape orientation, isn't your left hand taking most of the weight?
Click to expand...
I would say the weight is equally distributed in landscape, the body weight is taken by my right hand and I support the lens with my left hand, which is essentially the same as when I hold in portrait.
Obviously if I'm using a larger long focus lens I'll take more of the lens weight with my left hand.
 
Right handed, left eyed, "release button down". Flash or no flash in the hotshoe. No camera grip.
Both elbows below for maximum support.
 
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I'm happy to learn I'm not the only person who holds their camera this way!
 
Me too! I had to check after reading the original post
For me, it's right eye, button down - just seems natural (it would do after all these years)
Oh, and I don't use my thumb to press the button either! ??
 
Advancing years have reduced the natural thatch so I find myself wearing a hat more frequently. My previously standard button up position interferes with the hat/cap brim so I'm now a button down guy. And as a left-eyed shooter I find that I no longer have my nose pressed against the screen. Who'd a thunk? Sometimes it's hard to avoid being dazzled by the light of the blinding obvious.
 
I recently view some BH photo video's YouTube footage and one of them would appear to be prescribing a specific way of holding camera at the start of the video. I stopped watching the video at that point.

I hold it button up in portrait mode and I feel it comfortable hanging the weight off my hand reason being my wrist doesnt flex back that much and I am far more comfortable the other way round. Confirmed by my physio who thought I had a greater than normal flex in one direct and is less flexible in the other. So yes whatever is comfortable.
 
I do this too, but not all the time, I must be strange too

And when I sit down, I hold like I would hold a rifle - figured if the position is strong enough to shoot steadily with a 5.56 then it's strong enough to shoot steady with a 5D
 
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