Tripods. The good, the bad and the ugly. Here are some ideas on what to look for and how to use a tripod. One thing for sure I can share is that leaving the tripod behind in the car is not a good use!

The bad

The bad of tripods comes from a couple different possibilities. One is not spending enough money on your tripod and it not being sturdy enough to support your camera properly. In my opinion, a wiggly tripod can be worse than no tripod at all.

This Nashville night scene, which allow time to register more light, are easier to capture when on a tripod.

The good

Tripods are good for more than just holding your camera steady. Although that is important, many times a tripod can help you become more thoughtful about your image making. It makes you think more about your composition. It gives you more time to study the view you have chosen leaving you more options in making changes. With our digital imaging there is a tendency to make lots of images and think later. That often leads to the, “I wish I had made sure the camera was level.” Or, “I wish I had excluded that side of the image with the telephone pole sticking out.”

With the camera locked down on a tripod seven images were made over the course of an hour. This made it possible for the table candlelight to read along with the decorative lighting on the patio and the sunset.

The creative

Using a tripod makes creating panoramic images much easier. If you want to a lot of this work you’ll want to also invest in a panoramic tripod head as well. You can find models running from around $100 to well over $500. The difference is the ease with which the head can be used and the quality of the build. If you are just starting out and are not sure panoramas will be a large part of your repertoire go the inexpensive route. If you end up doing a lot, invest in high quality gear.

Nine images were used to make this sunset panorama using the gear pictured below.
The Platypod eXtreme with a Platyball ball-head make for a small form factor. The longer Arca Swiss plate allows the camera to be positioned over the light entry point of the lens leading to easier correct stitching of your panorama photos.
There is no way I could handhold a lens this long while waiting for the dragonfly to land. Fotopro E-6L works as a gimbal to track wildlife as well as a solid camera support.
As a side tip, if you are trying to photograph dragonflies, watch where one lands. Then focus on the place where they landed. They will often return to the exact same place multiple times. Be patient and you will be rewarded.

Time blends

Working on a tripod also allows you to photograph a scene over a time. I call these images a time blend. Being able to secure your camera can show images your eye can’t see at one time. A classic example is lighting coming from windows or candles in real estate with details in the shadows and a blue hour or night sky. You start photographing just as the sun goes down, or just before. Make more images as time passes and light changes. Blend those images together in post production.

Time exposures that allow a water-drop to resolve require a camera support.
This set for water-droplet photography has four Platypod supports. The Platypod is preferable to a full tripod because it allows a tighter set. No tripod legs to trip over. Learn more about water-drop photography here.

What gear?

A sturdy camera support is a necessity. A good ball-head is not a bad idea either. You have to spend at least a couple hundred dollars to get something solid in a tripod. Average tripods are in the $400 range and the best can push $600-$1400. While it’s not required and a $250 tripod will work OK, supports in the $50 range are basically unusable. If it’s in the $300 plus range with awesome reviews on Amazon or B&H, there is a likelihood it will be just fine.

Waiting for that egret to take flight took patience. Han-holding a long lens would have gotten tiring. Not to mention being able to follow the takeoff without a gimbal.

If you want to go low to the ground I recommend Platypod supports. FYI, I am a Platypod Pro and a Fotopro Featured Photographer. I am partial to those supports and recommend them because I use and like them a lot. A discount can be arranged should you decide you want to go in that direction. You can find my discounted pricing for Fotopro tripods.

Night sky

I haven’t even touched all the creative uses for tripod camera supports. Night sky and Milky Way photos require a solid support due to the time exposures allowing the heavenly light to record. You can check out some of the Milky way and Night Sky Sedona Workshop images.

Yours in Creative Photography, Bob