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p.1 #16 · Can someone explain Steve McCurry's Shooting Technique | |
StillFingerz wrote:
Below is a link and a paragraph from an online article, not much detail, but an explanation of sorts; at least a cause for his right hand issues.
On a personal note, I've watched a few videos of him shooting and I would guess he had some significant nerve damage to his right arm/hand/fingers; partial paralysis, just enough grip to hold the hand grip but not flex his fingers, or move his index finger enough to fire the shutter. I noticed his right wrist/hand/fingers look somewhat like mine, some atrophy, muscle loss...your fingers/tendons get stiff and tight when there's little or no movement in them.
Three decades back I broke my neck, I have a C5 level spinal cord injury and am paralyzed from the shoulders down with near full paralysis of my wrists/hands, total for my fingers; everything below my chest. When watching Steve in video he uses his fingers much like I do, often wedging bars/handles and such in between them to hold an item. Steve may have some grip but I don't see much, just enough to steady/hold the camera; it's held against his body for leverage when not shooting.
I use a wired remote switch placed between my teeth, my fingers are paralyzed but my tongue isn't! We adjust, adapt, some use glasses, diopter adjustments...I can kinda hold the camera, both hands, shoot handheld most often, I don't look too elegant with a wire hanging out my mouth but I can still shoot...even with still fingers 
Here's the link and paragraph...never surrender, just shoot it! Seeya round the forum...Jerry
Taking pictures with Steve
Text: Antti Kirves
http://www.photoraw.org/node/83
"He swings the heavy camera nimbly to his eye. The style is original; he broke his right arm as a child and it has not worked properly since. That’s why his own camera has a handle fixed to the tripod mount and he relies on automatic focusing."
Thanks Jerry. And hats off to you for not allowing your own physical challenges to keep you from engaging with life. I love your mantra - "Never surrender to life, just shoot it!" Life is too precious for us not to embrace what we have. I love the phrase "meeting life on life's terms" that comes out of the 12 Step tradition. It is a waste of time to try to make life conform to our preferences... or as the Chinese proverb says "it is better to light a candle than curse the darkness."
Happy shooting Jerry.
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