Tripods
About Tripods
The benefits of using a tripod
While every photographer has their favourite pieces of kit and ways of working, there are some common benefits to using a tripod. Some of the most popular include:
- Long exposures - a tripod is essential for shutter speeds longer than 1/60th of a second, as holding the camera by hand will result in blurry images
- Landscapes - a wide and well-focused depth of field is the key to great landscape imagery, which necessitates using a narrow aperture and a slow shutter speed. As above, this will lead to blurring if you’re holding the camera yourself
- Video capture - shooting by hand will almost always result in wobbly, amateur-looking footage. Give your video work a more professional feel by using a tripod
- Low-light settings - when shooting inside or later on in the day, you’ll want to make the most of the available light by slowing the shutter speed. Again, failing to use a tripod in this scenario will produce blurred pictures
How to use a tripod
The best way to use a tripod will naturally depend on the type of imagery you’re looking to capture, as well as the location in which you’re shooting. However, here are some useful all-purpose pointers on using a tripod:- Ensure your tripod is sturdy enough to support the weight of your camera. Don’t expect every tripod to take the weight of a large DSLR with a long lens!
- Guarantee level support by extending all three legs as far as they can go
- When extending the centre column, remember that this will make the tripod more top-heavy, resulting in instability and potentially causing the camera to wobble
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