topic Re: Fishermen Bringing Home Their Catch. in Share Your Photos

Fishermen Bringing Home Their Catch.

JFG — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 01:27:19 GMT

Fishermen Bringing Their Catch R5 Mark II & RF200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM Handheld

Took this picture of the fishing boat heading home with its catch in Halfmoon Bay, It reminded me of an old fishermen joke..

Why do some presidents make such great fishermen?

They know exactly how to rig the poles, tell tall tails, and lie about the size of their cache.

Re: Fishermen Bringing Home Their Catch.

LeeP — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 20:14:02 GMT

I am impressed that you were able to hand hold that rig and get such a stable shot. Excellent skill on your part. Sea pictures are always an instant win with me.

Re: Fishermen Bringing Home Their Catch.

JFG — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 21:00:40 GMT

HI Lee,

I brace my arms against my body while shooting. I learn the following technique in one of my photography classes in college. Here's what I learned, I think that it may help you.

When you’re shooting handheld and you want maximum stability, the way you brace your arms against your body can make a huge difference. Think of it like turning your torso into a human tripod; compact, locked-in, and predictable.

Here’s a clean, field‑tested way to do it that works whether you’re shooting birds, street, or anything where you need steadiness without a tripod or monopod and you dont have a wall, fence or anything to brace yourself on.

Tuck the elbows in, not back
- Pull your elbows straight down toward your ribcage.
- Don’t flare them out or pull them behind you.
- You want your upper arms to form a soft “V” pressed lightly into your torso.

Why it works:
Your ribcage becomes a brace, reducing lateral wobble.

2. Bring the camera into your face, not your face to the camera
- Press the viewfinder gently but firmly against your brow.
- This creates a third point of contact—like adding a tripod leg.

Bonus:
Your head acts as a stabilizing mass.

3. Keep forearms angled slightly downward
- Let your forearms slope down from the camera toward your elbows.
- This keeps your wrists neutral and reduces micro‑shake.

4. Use your left hand as the “support hand”
This is the one most people get wrong.

- Place your left hand under the lens, palm up.
- Elbow tucked into your torso.
- Think of your left hand as a shelf holding the whole rig.

This absorbs vertical shake and lens weight.

5. Lean your body slightly forward
- A subtle forward lean engages your core.
- It also shifts your center of gravity so recoil from the shutter or breathing doesn’t rock you backward.

6. Control your breathing
Not dramatic sniper breathing, just:

- Exhale slowly
- Shoot at the bottom of the breath
- Don’t hold your breath hard (that causes tremors)

7. Plant your feet like a tripod
- One foot slightly forward
- Shoulder‑width apart
- Knees soft, not locked

Your legs become the base of the system.

8. For long lenses: pull the strap tight
If you’re using a strap:

- Put it around your neck
- Push the camera forward until the strap is taut
- Keep elbows tucked

This adds tension, which adds stability.

Quick mental model
Elbows down + camera pressed to face + left hand under lens + soft forward lean = maximum handheld stability.

You can do it too, Lee. Practice the aforementioned and you'll be surprised at the results. Happy shooting 📷

Re: Fishermen Bringing Home Their Catch.

LeeP — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 21:10:37 GMT

Excellent rundown of technique. If you have a Knowledge Base, make this a post. I used to shoot with a 400mm lens in my Pentax days and had a strange contraption like a rifle stock that the lens mounted on with the camera mounted to the lens. I enjoyed it, but in the end I don't do much extreme telephoto work. I do have a 500mm mirror lens for the rare times I get the urge to "go there". Thank you for the tips. Great review. I will observe the technique soon and see what I get. Many thanks.

Re: Fishermen Bringing Home Their Catch.

JFG — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 21:33:03 GMT

When hiking, I like to only take the equipment that I'll be using and like to travel light. I rarely take a tripod or monopod unless I really need to. I usually take two cameras 📷 with the lenses that I'll be using because I don't like to change lenses out in the field. Most of the time I take the 24-105mm on one camera and the 200-800mm on the other. I also use the Cotton 3G Camera Harness System which has two holsters. One in the front for the 200-800mm rig and one on the side for the smaller 24-105mm rig. Shooting handheld allows me to set up faster for a shot.

Re: Fishermen Bringing Home Their Catch.

JFG — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 21:54:21 GMT

Good idea Lee, I'll post it in my JFG KB .

👍