The Equipment: Tripods

When thinking about the kind of shots you want to take, there are a lot of options to weigh for your equipment.  Digital versus film.  Point-and-shoot versus SLR.  Tripods.

Tripods - if practical to carry with you - can make the difference between a blurry shot and a great shot, particularly if your hands aren't the steadiest.



Thundercloud & moonlight



I like to use a collapsible tripod that can be extended in height and adjusted as needed. It's certainly a boon for nighttime photography when you're using an extended exposure setting to capture low light conditions.

American Alligator

It's also handy for long-distance nature shots - birds and wildlife fidget enough, so this can go a long way towards making your shots more crisp and clear.  Combine your tripod with a zoom to stay safely out of reach of more cantankerous subjects.



Fireworks over Waycross, GA

4th of July is another favorite occasion for using a tripod: the brightness of the fireworks against the night sky make it difficult to capture clear shots without a bit of assistance. 

Portrait work; Chapel Hill, NC

Portrait work can be one of those areas where you go in either direction; some prefer the freedom to move around their subject, whereas others prefer to use a tripod to ensure clearer, more steady shots.  A tripod can also even the playing field for point-and-shoot cameras, as the speed of SLRs traditionally gives them an edge in this area.  For my initial ventures into portraiture, I'm putting my trust in my tripod while I refine my skills in the genre.

Sometimes you get lucky, though: when a shot presents itself, you take a chance to capture when you can.  Sometimes it pays off:

Moonrise over Iowa City