There are lots of times a tripod comes in handy. Of course you might not have one on hand when you need it most. Here are three of my favorite techniques to overcome the lack of a tripod.

Swaddle the Camera

cradle1

This technique works best for time-lapse. Take a sweatshirt or jacket and ball it into a nest of sorts. The camera literally sits inside the nest which absorbs vibration and keeps the body from falling over.

Find a Bar

cradle2

This technique is best for HDR or low-light shooting. Find a railing, a park bench, a garbage can even. The key is to press down on the camera so it stays stable. Ill take advantage of a continuos shooting mode and auto-bracketing so the camera can quickly fire all exposures.

Find a Pole

cradle31

This is another variation on the theme above. The challenge here is often that the surfaces are rounded. Ill often try to pad the bottom of the camera with a jacket or a hand. Ill often use the camera strap and wrap it around the pole (just keep it under tension to further stabilize).

Disclaimer: These are just a few ways to solve the lack of a tripod.

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