Whether you’re a hobbyist or a professional, the best way to improve your craft is to practice. As you gain skill and confidence, you may find common issues in your photos. Are they blurry? Poorly lit? Tinker around with different equipment so you can get the shots you want. Stabilizers of all kinds are some of the most important pieces of camera equipment to have in your arsenal. A stabilizer adds professionalism to any photograph. Not convinced yet? Let’s look at some of the benefits of stabilizing gear. Learn why camera stabilizers are important for photography and peruse Glide Gear’s top-tier selection to explore your options.

Shake-Free Shots

This is the easy one. Even if you believe your hands are completely steady when you shoot, the human body is always in some kind of motion. Even the tiniest of micro-movements can affect your final product, especially when you’re shooting up close or from a far distance. Stabilizers like 3-axis gimbals work on multiple levels to correct any movement your hands make as they hold the camera.

Your steady hand may work to your advantage at the beginning of a day of shooting. Well-rested bodies are more coordinated! However, as the day goes on, your hands may begin to get tired. Don’t feel like you have to steady the camera all by yourself—enlist a little help from technology. Ensure you capture focused, professional shots with the help of stabilizing gear.

Sharper Focus

A steady hand or stabilized camera is essential for getting your camera into focus. Once the lens is where you need it, snap those photos as efficiently as possible! You can increase your shutter speed to take as many photos as possible before your hand starts to shake. But to be on the safe side and ensure consistent quality, consider investing in a gimbal vest to keep that camera still and focused. If your camera moves at the last moment, your subject may get knocked out of focus and you’ll end up with blurry photos.

Distance Photography

If you’re photographing your subjects from far away, each movement of your hand becomes magnified and you’re more likely to take blurry shots. It’s more difficult to get that camera focused where you want it and then keep it that way—that is, if you’re relying solely on your hands.

Over the years, digital camera technology has improved far beyond what photographers can do by themselves. Many point-and-shoot and DSLR cameras have image stabilization built into either the camera or the lens. But if you’re shooting from a far distance or in low light, you can’t rely on the in-camera stabilization alone! Focus your camera and keep it that way by attaching it to a gimbal. It’s an adjustable and customizable little piece of technology. If you’re using a telephoto or other heavy lens, you’ll just need to adjust your gimbal to balance out the weight of the lens.

Better Action Shots

When you use a gimbal stabilizer, the camera uses its own center of gravity to stay steady and correct excess movement. This gyroscopic technology, combined with the convenience of a gimbal vest, allows you to shoot with greater ease. You can capture moving shots more quickly and crisply if your camera isn’t moving along with the subject! A vest stabilizer helps you capture shots from all angles without having to hold your camera differently every time you switch angles. The camera will correct itself with the gimbal technology.

Increased Comfort

If you’re capturing shots from all angles, you may be used to relying on your joints. Crouching, squatting, climbing up, lying down—it can get tiring after a while, and it can put a strain on your body. When you attach the camera to yourself, you can use the arm to move the camera forward and back as needed. The gimbal will get your lens where it needs to be without exhausting your arms. There’s no need to perform tricky balancing acts to get the shot you need; a stabilizer vest will be easier on your body in the long run.

Capturing Awkward Angles

If you’re a creative type dipping a toe into avant-garde photography, stabilization can make or break your photos. Images shot on a diagonal or from an unconventional vantage point can look stellar if they’re crisp and focused. If you rely solely on your hands to stabilize the camera, your end product could look like you dropped the camera and took those photos by accident.

With a handheld gimbal, you can get up into nooks and crannies. Take photos of nature and wildlife from a fresh angle! If you’re using a vest-based stabilizer, you can take more unconventional point-of-view shots without that signature amateur blur. Drone technology can also stabilize your camera and capture angles that appear to float through the air. Stabilizer tech allows you to take photos from angles that the human body alone can’t execute.

Increased Versatility

You can use a stabilizer mount by itself—or with a variety of accessories that pump up your photos’ production value. When you use external stabilizers instead of relying on the in-camera technology alone, you open yourself up to more possibilities. Attach a small lighting apparatus that can move with you, especially if you’re shooting in low light conditions. Low light is notorious for contributing to shaky, blurry shots. With the help of a camera stabilizer and a little extra lighting, you can capture those images without taking up a bunch of memory on blurs and mistakes.

If you think camera stabilizers are more of a filmmaker thing, think again. Photographs capture movement and depth just like videos do, and stabilizing technology can elevate your photos from hobbyist to professional quality. With a stabilizer vest or gimbal, blurry shots and out-of-whack focus will be woes of the past. Don’t let low light conditions or subjects in motion intimidate you. Use the right equipment and challenge yourself to photograph subjects and landscapes you’ve never shot before. Why are camera stabilizers important for photography? Simple: your photos deserve as much effort and attention to quality as video footage does.