How Do You Hold Your Camera When Taking Portrait Mode?

I was dared by Curtis to do this.

I noticed that the instruction manual for my camera tells me I should hold it with the flash on the left side when I shoot portrait. Well, I have seen people hold their cameras in the most unusual ways to do portrait mode.

Has anyone besides me find this an interesting topic? My 8 year old just started taking pictures and he things it's easier to work with the camera tilted to the right. I almost frecked out! My own child doing it not as the manual stated!

SuzyView

SInce I don't have a flash bracket yet (I use an LSII) I place the flash based on where the shadow will be least noticeable. Or at least I try. I do find holding the camera underneath for shooting to be more comfortable for longer sessions. For natural light I'll put the flash on the right.

I always hold the camera with the flash on the left of me. That's the way I have always done it.

Art

SuzyView wrote:
My 8 year old just started taking pictures and he things it's easier to work with the camera tilted to the right. I almost frecked out! My own child doing it not as the manual stated!

SuzyView

Breaking the so called "rules" is the start at some amazing and very different pictures. My brother doesn't follow any of the composition rules and yet he has some of the best and most unique photos. You can see his work at http://pics.rightangle​pro.com and his user name is thegray . As far as tilting the flash, it depends on how I'm trying to use it. If it's for fill flash, I tilt it towards the side needing to be filled in. If it's for a main light, I tilt it however I can to best "hide" the shadow, or otherwise to the left. A flash bracket is very bulky and really unecessary. I bought one for wedding photography, but after playing more and more with the flash on camera, learning the right techniques can be just as good and not near the hassel.

Me too. I got into the habit of holding it on the same side all the time that way when I rotate my photos I can do a batch rotate not one at a time..... So I guess I got in the habit mainly because I'm lazy

If I'm using the Sunpack flash (has a built in camera bracket) the camera is rotated to the right. If I'm using the 580 or the strobes it's rotated to the left.