Really? I should use a tripod? Why?

A tripod will be your best friend when it comes to photography. It will teach you about composition because you have to slow down and set up your photo-taking.

Quick photo-taking is fun, but when you slow down, you will see a whole other world.

A tripod forces you to examine what you are putting within the frame, and you’ll notice that your point of view changes drastically because of it.

 Take your tripod with you the next time you go on a photo walk. When you see something that you want to shoot, set the tripod in the right direction and study your subject. Move the camera and tripod around, closer or farther, until you have a good composition. Use the grid on the camera to help you understand the placement of things and keep your horizon lines and vertical lines straight.

Setting up your photo

Do you have enough foreground? When we take quick shots, we tend not to pay enough attention to the foreground. The foreground guides the viewer to look at different parts of the image and “grounds” the image. What’s in your foreground?

 What is the point of interest?

Do you want to make the background the most important part of your image, or is your point of interest somewhere in the middle? 

Make sure that you lead us to your point of interest. The main point of interest does not have to be in the foreground or anywhere specific; it just needs to be enhanced!

 What is the best camera height for your photograph?

Lower next to the ground?  Waist height? Above your head?  Do you need to shoot from above to get the desired angle?

When to use a tripod for best results

Late Afternoons and Night-Time

There will be no shaking: The tripod will make your low-light photos look clear and sharp. 

I take many night images, and using a tripod improves the sharpness and overall image quality. 

You can take long exposures with your phone camera, and everything will look sharp.

Photo by Marek Piwnicki on Unsplash

Arm or Hand Tremble

The tripod will allow you to take fabulous photographs without worrying if you have shakes or trembles that create image blurriness.

I have worked with several people who have shakes, and they thought that they would never be able to photograph.  The use of a tripod changed all that.

Make using a tripod convenient

 Small Tripod

A small tripod will fit into your bag or small backpack.  The only issue with this is that your photographs will be taken from lower angles, but you can change your camera height if you use a bench, table, or rock.  I love the ease of small tripods!

Mini travel tripod

Travel Tripod

There are many different types of travel tripods. If you want to buy one, I suggest choosing a quality product. They are not very expensive but worth the investment. I used to buy cheap ones and had to replace them quickly. Learn from my mistakes, and don’t just choose the least expensive tripod you can find.

Phone Holder

Get a phone holder that will allow changing your phone camera’s position from horizontal to vertical.

 Find a tripod that’s size and weight works best for the amount of travel and shooting you’re doing. It might feel more restricting at first, but you’ll notice the benefits of your photo quality. Happy Shooting!

DIY travel tripod

PS: You can create a DIY tripod like this

DIY Tripod

DIY mini tripod