Just went for a walk and…

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AstroEd

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I finally decided to go to a local Conservation center just to walk around and check it out. (I have been there before but neve out of sight of my car as I am terrified of smash and grapes in the area) But I got brave the other day and here are a few images, none are great some are nice. The owl was a surprise sadly he was behind a branch and I was rushed and all shots had cut off his tail feathers.
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If I can find my Monopod I hope to go back today. sadly my Manfrotto tripod is too cumbersome to carry on those wooded paths. I have not used the mono more than a couple of times, so I have no clue if I got a decent one. What monopod would you all suggest or should I just get more practice handheld? No matter how slowly I press the shutter when I release it my subject is no longer in the center focus area.
 
What monopod would you all suggest or should I just get more practice handheld? No matter how slowly I press the shutter when I release it my subject is no longer in the center focus area.
I'd start with the monopod you already have assuming it's tall enough that you don't have to crouch over to use it. After all a monopod doesn't give rock solid support, it just takes most of the camera weight off you and your arms and in doing so adds stability. But unless your monopod is really flimsy and bends a lot or too short it likely will work just fine for adding a bit of extra stability.

In terms of practice the biggest tips that have helped students in field workshops when hand holding or using a monopod are:

- Find a stable stance for yourself which may be turning a bit sideways with one foot further out in front or may be leaning back up against a rock, fence or tree or perhaps kneeling down and bracing against your forward knee and thigh but camera stability starts with your own stability.

- Tuck both elbows in to your side and don't have them out wide and in front of your body. One hand is of course supporting a longer lens from underneath and the other holding the camera and releasing the shutter but keep those elbows tucked in tight for best stability.

- Lay your finger horizontally (right to left) across the shutter release button and roll your finger to release the shutter don't push straight down with a finger tip as that's a sure way to shake the camera. The finger laid across the release can be partly in front of or partly behind the center of the shutter release button but rolling it to release the shutter is much smoother than jabbing at the shutter release with a fingertip.

- It can also help to keep the back of the camera up against your face and cheek and a rubber eyecup that presses against your face near the eye can also help stability. You basically want as many stable points of contact as you can manage.

Maybe you're already doing all these things in which case keep practicing but the camera shouldn't jump around so much that you can't keep the focus point over your subject. Also make sure that if you use VR on a Nikon camera it's set to Sport and not Normal mode as Normal mode can also make the subject appear to jump around in the viewfinder even if your camera is rock solid.
 
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