Shooting from the hip . . . .

I've just discovered this technique whilst reading through a photographic website.

Basically the camera is set to ISO800, f11, in Av mode, using a fairly wide angle lens. The camera is pre-focussed to the hyperfocal point of the lens (in my case I was shooting at 40mm, which means I had to preset the focus at 20ft) then put into manual focus mode, to prevent the camera from re-focussing as the shutter button is depressed . . .

With the above settings its possible to get shots that are sharp and focussed, just by pointing and shooting.
Then the camera is hung around the neck on the strap, and shots can be taken without having to raise the camera to the eye. I use a spirit level on the hotshoe of the camera, so the shots I get aren't too badly crooked that straightening them causes too much to be cropped out.

This setup is perfect for getting street shots without attracting the attention of passers-by - too many scenes are rendered unnatural looking, and spoilt, by people looking at the camera at the time the shutter is pressed.

I'll be doing a little experimentation with this technique in the future, so watch this space, but please - don't look into the lens :-)