you guys momentarily hold your breath while you press the shutter?

[Spoon]

just wondering if i am the only one who holds my breath momentarily while i press the shutter half/way then full to take that pricelss snapshot. noticed this habit as id take the shots. i do this to reduce camera shake and alo not to scare my subjects as i exhale, also to remain neautraly buoyant while being very very still. if i am doing it wrong then please give me some tips. thanks.

 

[Mike Veitch]

Actually it is better to slowly depress the trigger while gradually breathing out, this helps the process remain a little smoother. I do hold it if i have mantas or whatever coming overhead though to keep the bubbles out of the way....real pain in the butt if i'm shootin video! (or should i say lungs)

 

[Spoon]

Actually it is better to slowly depress the trigger while gradually breathing out, this helps the process remain a little smoother. I do hold it if i have mantas or whatever coming overhead though to keep the bubbles out of the way....real pain in the butt if i'm shootin video! (or should i say lungs)

i have tried that but am much more comfortable holding my breath while depressing btton and waiting for the cam to focus, only after fully depressing the button do i exhale. funny youd mention holding your breath when sealife are headed your way actually its the other way around for me i hold my breath to sneak up on my subjects but they catch on even before i get close hehe

 

[gfisher4792]

Here's a quick 'military style' checklist for shooting; it can applied to cameras as well (I think):

H -- Holding (rifle should be held in the most comfortable position and firmly, but not in a death grip)
A -- Aiming (Take a moment to properly aim your shot)
B -- Breathing control (as you breathe, the sight will naturally move up and down the target with your body, the trick is to take a few good breaths (2) to steady your heartbeat and on a third one, breathe out half way and hold the breath)
I -- Instinctive positioning (your body should be in a natural position, a good way to check this is to close your eyes for a moment, relax, and then see if you are still aming at the same point after you open your eyes again)
T -- Trigger Control (this is very important, shot should come as a surprise to you, apply steady pressure on the trigger until the action fires, after the shot has been fired, hold the trigger down and "follow through" on the target, holding steady aim, this avoids the body's natural tendency, to "jerk" in anticipation of the recoil)

You probably don't have to worry about recoil, though

 

[Spoon]

Here's a quick 'military style' checklist for shooting; it can applied to cameras as well (I think):

H -- Holding (rifle should be held in the most comfortable position and firmly, but not in a death grip)
A -- Aiming (Take a moment to properly aim your shot)
B -- Breathing control (as you breathe, the sight will naturally move up and down the target with your body, the trick is to take a few good breaths (2) to steady your heartbeat and on a third one, breathe out half way and hold the breath)
I -- Instinctive positioning (your body should be in a natural position, a good way to check this is to close your eyes for a moment, relax, and then see if you are still aming at the same point after you open your eyes again)
T -- Trigger Control (this is very important, shot should come as a surprise to you, apply steady pressure on the trigger until the action fires, after the shot has been fired, hold the trigger down and "follow through" on the target, holding steady aim, this avoids the body's natural tendency, to "jerk" in anticipation of the recoil)

You probably don't have to worry about recoil, though

wow! never thought the principles of sniping would apply to shooting photos but the principle is the same: to shoot your subject whether the bullseye is an enemy, target or subject whats funny is i was employing the same techniques instinctivly. no recoil though

 

[Vtdiver2]

just wondering if i am the only one who holds my breath momentarily while i press the shutter half/way then full to take that pricelss snapshot. noticed this habit as id take the shots. i do this to reduce camera shake and alo not to scare my subjects as i exhale, also to remain neautraly buoyant while being very very still. if i am doing it wrong then please give me some tips. thanks.

I do, but find I take a breath and exhale half of it, get neutrally bouyant and then take the shot.
C-Dawg

 

[_Bella_]

Yep, I hold about half a breath.
I don't like to be breathing out because the bubbles get in my face if I'm in the wrong position and then I lose the view.
The few times I don't hold my breath to take pics is around skittish creatures that I've waited on for a while. I've found that a constant slow rhythmic breathing pattern is less likely to scare them off than breath, hold, blow, repeat.

 

[cdiver2]

Here's a quick 'military style' checklist for shooting; it can applied to cameras as well (I think):

H -- Holding (rifle should be held in the most comfortable position and firmly, but not in a death grip)
A -- Aiming (Take a moment to properly aim your shot)
B -- Breathing control (as you breathe, the sight will naturally move up and down the target with your body, the trick is to take a few good breaths (2) to steady your heartbeat and on a third one, breathe out half way and hold the breath)
I -- Instinctive positioning (your body should be in a natural position, a good way to check this is to close your eyes for a moment, relax, and then see if you are still aming at the same point after you open your eyes again)
T -- Trigger Control (this is very important, shot should come as a surprise to you, apply steady pressure on the trigger until the action fires, after the shot has been fired, hold the trigger down and "follow through" on the target, holding steady aim, this avoids the body's natural tendency, to "jerk" in anticipation of the recoil)

You probably don't have to worry about recoil, though

If I can do a head shot at 600 using this there should be no problem taking a photo

 

[Mike Veitch]

Yep, the hunter gives good advice!

Recoil....depends on the size of your camera...

 

[fdog]

I shoot when the moment arrives, irrespective of the state of my breathing, body position, or phase of the moon.

The hard part is leading the moment and being in place for it.

All the best, James