ONE HANDED PHOTOGRAPHY

SORRY ABOUT THE CAPS FOLKS BUT, I HAVE HAD HAND SURGERY AND I AM TYPING LEFT HANDED.

ACTUALLY; THAT IS THE SUBJECT OF THIS POST. I HAVE HAD SURGERY TO REPAIR MY RIGHT THUMB AND I AM WEARING A BIG SOFT CAST ON MY RIGHT HAND. I ALSO HAVE VERY LITTLE STRENGTH IN THAT HAND - DON'T EVER DENY THE VALUE OF OUR OPPOSING THUMBS...

ANYWAY, I WANT TO SHOOT TOMORROW NIGHT. MY DOG IS GRADUATING FROM THERAPY DOG PREP SCHOOL AND THE SCHOOL IS HAVING A CAP AND GOWN CEREMONY FOR THE DOGS. I KNOW IT'S HOKEY BUT, IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME SINCE MY WIFE IS HANDLING OUR DOG DURING THE CEREMONY.

I AM THINKING OF USING MY 30D WITH THE LITTLE 50MM F/1.8 MARK-I LENS BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE MY LIGHTEST WEIGHT COMBO (FOR THE FIRST TIME I WILL MISS MY OLD TINY 350D CAMERA). I HAVE SHOT IN THIS VENUE BEFORE AND THE LIGHT IS JUST FINE WITHOUT FLASH.

I WAS TOSSED UP BETWEEN MY MONOPOD AND A TRIPOD AND DECIDED THAT HANDLING OF THE TRIPOD WITH ONE HAND WOULD NOT BE EASY. I WILL TAPE A REMOTE CORD TO THE HANDLE OF THE MONOPOD SO I CAN FIRE THE CAMERA WITH MY LEFT HAND.

ANY OTHER IDEAS?

If you can use a tripod with a remote release, that seems like it would be the best option. You could get it set up and then just blast away with your left hand.

I would think the monopod would work - although altering anything by way of settings will be nigh on impossible. Might be worth taking a few trial shots when you arrive (with your wife helping by altering settings) and then using manual to avoid any metering issues.

How about don't mess up the surgery. Let it heal properly and get your right hand back. I have been there and done that and am paying a high price for it. Just a thought.

If you can't use your thumb and don't want to use a tri/monopod, I think the best solution would be a E-1 handstrap. However you can only really use this if you have a battery grip.

If you don't have a battery grip, you can get one of these:
http://www.the-digital-picture.com …her-Hand-Grip-Review.aspx

I'm sure you could losen it up to fit the cast through it or whatever.

That seems like a good workaround to your situation. No zoom to mess with, I'd even toy with the idea of shooting in P mode so you don't have to mess with settings. The only other alternative would be to use a P&S.

I have a friend who is a wonderful photographer and she has only the use of one arm. She makes it work! It can be done!

I think that a tripod plus your 24-70mm (or 70-200mm depending on distance) on the camera would be the best option, along with the remote shutter release.

Once you have got into position and got the camera set up, everything is free-standing, so one hand can move about and do settings alterations and tripod head adjustments etc without worrying about dropping anything. The zoom will give you some flexibility with framing.

Using a monopod will be a bit awkward with one hand as you have to hold everything up and operate the remote release, along with the added problem of altering settings.

Mike

Ladies and gentlemen, if you do not have anything helpful or nice to say, then don't type it. Forum rules are pretty specific:

From

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?p=353304

Ouch, sorry to hear that, RPC. I'm going to throw a wild suggestion out there; how about a chest-mounted harness and a remote release? I know I've seen them for HD video cameras but the only one I could come up with in Google was for point n shoots.

I've done something like this myself for street shots now and again except I just wear the camera around my neck. The lens can't be too long or it will tilt down... then you can fire the shutter with one finger.

In2Photos wrote in post #8997481
Ladies and gentlemen, if you do not have anything helpful or nice to say, then don't type it. Forum rules are pretty specific:

Was this posted because people made jokes about what he was doing one-handed? poor taste.

Or was it because they question the need for CAPS LOCK? (I also fail to see the connection)

One handed... and the left hand at that. That sucks, pretty hard to do because cameras are made for right handed use usually (unless you're Ken Rockwell that is).

Personally I'd go this route.

Relax.

Heal.

Let someone else do it.