How-to's

Reducing hand holding fatigue

J. Ramon Palacios (jrp)

Keywords: hand_holding, wildlife, bif, photography, nikonians, jrp, birds

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The tripod was left at home, the monopod is in the car, and you want to follow those birds with your camera and a heavy long lens mounted.

So, we start happy, but sooner than later we begin to feel tired and our keepers begin to be fewer.

One hand holding. Tiring.
Click for an enlargement

For starters, don’t carry your combo in one hand. Use both to distribute the weight into two arms.

Two hands holding. Better.
Click for an enlargement

For safety, use a neck strap, but long enough that will allow your gear to be hand held at your waist, not hanging from your neck or shoulder.

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20 comments

J. Ramon Palacios (jrp) on April 23, 2020

Hi, Carl. Glad to hear you liked it. Yes, the shutter finger can betray you :-(

Carl Crosby (wile e coyote) on April 23, 2020

A bit late to this, as usual, but...good advice! I always forget to breathe. One other thing I might mention...don't press the shutter button like you were squashing a particularly ugly spider.

J. Ramon Palacios (jrp) on November 10, 2018

Mike, glad to hear this article was of help. Thank you

Mike Friel (thaigah) on November 10, 2018

I find moving around with the 200-500 tiring too. I use two straps, a long neck strap attached to the camera's tripod hole, plus a shorter shoulder strap, attached to the lens tripod hole. The latter takes the weight on my shoulder as I walk, and is long enough for me to quickly take up a shooting position if necessary without removing strap from shoulder. If I have longer to prepare, I just shrug off the shoulder strap to take up the tucked elbows position (though I'm doing this better now thanks to your article). I always keep the longer strap slung diagonally across my body, as I've dropped cameras more than once!

J. Ramon Palacios (jrp) on October 12, 2018

Adam, thanks for stopping by to comment. I used to have the camera and lens hanging from a sling strap. Problem: the camera and lens got scratched easily, with brush and/or pants zippers. That is why I now hand-carry, but with a strap (of any type) just for safety.

Adam Webster (Wolphin) on October 12, 2018

I'm glad I'm doing something right! My 200-500 is a beast! I also use a sling strap when carrying it, as well (RRS replacement collar/shoe with QD socket, and the Magpul Gen2 MS4 strap) so that I don't need to hand hold it all the time.

J. Ramon Palacios (jrp) on October 12, 2018

My pleasure, John. Thank you.

John Hernlund (Tokyo_John) on October 12, 2018

Thanks JRP, it is very good advice...

J. Ramon Palacios (jrp) on October 12, 2018

Thank you, Cheryl

J. Ramon Palacios (jrp) on October 12, 2018

Paul, yes, it works. Quite often I am surprised of the great difference both in focusing precision and reduced fatigue.

Cheryl Tadin (ctadin) on October 11, 2018

Thanks for the very helpful tip.

User on October 11, 2018

¡Funciona! Mil gracis.

J. Ramon Palacios (jrp) on October 11, 2018

Tim, good. Thank you ;-)

Timothy Blackshear (NikoBlak) on October 11, 2018

Thanks for sharing. It's good to know I've been doing something right - even the breathing.

J. Ramon Palacios (jrp) on October 11, 2018

David, thank you for your comment. Coming from an experienced BIF photographer means a lot :-)

J. Ramon Palacios (jrp) on October 11, 2018

Pakku, yes, of course. It is better to move the tripod collar so the shoe and plate are up, out of your way for a btter grasp.

David Summers (dm1dave) on October 10, 2018

Good advice!

Srinivasamurthy Prakash (niknac37) on October 10, 2018

Thank you Ramon, I almost do the same as you have mentioned ( except for sometimes I hold in one hand, will correct from now) but with a difference, I put my lens handle turned up I am comfortable in that grip. Pakku

J. Ramon Palacios (jrp) on October 10, 2018

Alan, thanks for the reminder. I should mentioned the breath in, breath out half way, shoot, breath out sniper rule.