CREATIVE PROJECTS
2
Don’t shoot too slow
There are often situations when you don’t have time
to set up a tripod, or you may not even have one with
you. But don’t worry; you can shoot handheld as long as you
shoot with a relatively fast shutter speed in order to avoid
camera shake. When using a wide-angle lens, such as the EF
16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, a shutter speed of 1/50 sec will be
sufficient to prevent shake.1
Shoot in the raw format
It goes without saying that you need to shoot raw files to
capture good-quality images; for this technique it’s vital,
because we’ll be processing the image twice to ensure we’ve
got a great range of highlight and shadow detail, which we’ll
then combine for the finished result. A JPEG won’t cope with
being over- or under-exposed to the same extent, and the
image quality will suffer.4
Evaluate your exposure
It’s not always easy to see if you’ve captured a
balanced exposure from looking at the image on the
LCD screen, so get into the habit of checking your
histogram. Although you’ll be processing your shot twice,
you’ll still need a consistent tonal range; any high peaks that
go off either end of the graph means you’ll have lost detail in
the shadows or highlights.3
Camera settings
Set your camera to manual mode and use a narrow f/11
aperture for a great depth of field to ensure
everything in the scene is sharp from front to back. To
capture a balanced exposure, half-press the shutter to meter
the scene and scroll through the shutter speeds until the
exposure level indicator is in the middle. If your shutter
speed is too slow, increase the ISO.6
Keep composed
The great thing about shooting handheld is the
freedom to be more experimental with your
compositions. You can scout out your location quickly to
see what viewpoints will be more successful, and shoot from
angles that would prove tricky with a tripod. And with this
technique, you don’t need to worry about taking several
exposures from the exact same position.5
Stay focused
It’s important to focus accurately when shooting
scenics to ensure your image is sharp from front to
back. If you focus on the horizon, you may find that your
foreground is out of focus. Ensure the lens is switched to AF,
focus on something about a third of the way into the scene by
half-pressing the shutter, then recompose before fully
pressing the shutter to take the shot.