Shooting a Parade without a Tripod

[Photobycate]

Hello All,

I will be at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with my family this Thursday and I want to take some shots of the parade. Because of the huge crowds I will not have my tripod with me but want to shoot in Shutter Priority mode to capture the floats and marchers as they move by. I have an 18mm-70mm Sony kit lens and am wondering what is the best shutter speed to shoot in for a parade where the movement is not sports fast but people and things will be "marching" by and I will be standing and hand holding my camera.

Thanks,

[Richard]

Hello All,

I will be at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with my family this Thursday and I want to take some shots of the parade. Because of the huge crowds I will not have my tripod with me but want to shoot in Shutter Priority mode to capture the floats and marchers as they move by. I have an 18mm-70mm Sony kit lens and am wondering what is the best shutter speed to shoot in for a parade where the movement is not sports fast but people and things will be "marching" by and I will be standing and hand holding my camera.

Thanks,

I wouldn't use anything slower than 1/125, which should take care of camera shake even at your longest focal length. But it also depends on how fast they are moving. Take a few shots, then zoom the preview and chimp to see how you are doing. If the light is strong and there are deep shadows, you should consider using fill flash as well.

[Photobycate]

1/125. Got it. Thanks.:D

I wouldn't use anything slower than 1/125, which should take care of camera shake even at your longest focal length. But it also depends on how fast they are moving. Take a few shots, then zoom the preview and chimp to see how you are doing. If the light is strong and there are deep shadows, you should consider using fill flash as well.

[Scott_Quier]

1/125. Got it. Thanks.:D
Like Richard say, bring your flash along - I know 'cause the one time I shot a parade I didn't use mine and now I regret it.