WHEN TO USE A TRIPOD FOR PHOTOGRAPHY
It was a standard advice in the 1980s, when I learned the craft carefully in the somewhat rundown pages of Practical Photography magazine (read more here: the story behind my camera a year ago). So I conscientiously carried my heavy pre-carbon tripod anywhere, whether in good weather, rain or snow, uphill or downhill.
By becoming confident and becoming a true professional photographer, I learned that, like many photography recommendations, this was only partially true. It is very easy to spray such tips - always use a tripod for photography, never shoot in the sun, shoot only in full screen.
"Always use a tripod" - where does this advice come from?
I think this advice started because landscape photographers use the best compact travel tripod. Most amateur photographers want to make beautiful landscapes, so the advice has been; Always use a tripod. No other kind of photography is taken into account when a tripod makes no difference (for example, portrait photography outside the studio) or can actually be obstructed (for example, travel photography).
Best advice - an hour ago and a place where a tripod can be used
Imagine a tripod by simply replacing your hands while taking pictures. If you think it would be a disadvantage to hang on to the camera, consider a tripod. These opportunities include:
- If your hands are not stable enough and the camera is out of focus and you can not use a faster shutter speed to avoid this (most people can only keep the equivalent of the focal length of their lens, z / 60th second for 50mm, 1/200 seconds for 200mm)
- If you want a large depth of field (small aperture) and low ISO, you need to rely on a slow shutter speed for exposure.
- When it is dark and the aperture and ISO options are off, you must rely on a slow shutter speed.
- if you take a macro without flash (because the camera is no longer visible)
- if you want to use a long exposure, for example. Motion blur or star capture
- If you think that the camera is close to you, you will have to be more thoughtful and concentrate more on your composition.
- If you take portraits and do not want the camera to be a barrier between you and the person you are photographing
If your subject moves alone or because of the wind and you want to stop motion blur, using a backpacking tripod is not a technical advantage - you'll still need a quick shutter. And if it's so windy that your tripod is flickering or if your camera's lens is so heavy that it falls, you also lose the advantage of not having your hands.
You do not really need a most compact tripod. You can put your camera on the floor, on a sack of rice or a stack of books. It is important that you do not get in touch with him at the moment of the trigger. So you must not only stabilize yourself but also use a cable trigger or self-timer.
