The main purpose of the tripod is to support the camera and make it completely steady – no movements or vibration, yet it will not deliver super sharp photos if we don’t follow some basic rules. So how to use a tripod properly? You might have been doing it wrong the whole time! To break it up, we bring you a guide about how to shoot perfect pictures with a tripod.
- When a tripod is needed?
- Make it stand
- Tighten up properly
- Don’t overload your tripod
- Use self-timer
- Phone as remote control
When a tripod is needed?
Long exposure photos – Want to use long exposure to capture a beautiful sharp night photo or a milky smooth waterfall? This is a place where tripod comes into play.
Taking a portrait of yourself – Need to take a portrait of you while standing on top of the mountain or other stunning place and no one is around? A tripod will save the day for you.
Make it stand
Everybody knows how to put a camera on tripod, but still there are few tips how to increase the stability for achieving sharper photos.
First step is to extend the legs. If you don’t need the whole length of your tripod, the best way to do it, is to always extend the legs from the top down rather then using the lower thin section. Use the centre column only if you really need it, because it could make your tripod unstable. Once the legs are extended to the required height it’s time to position them on the ground. Important is to position one leg pointing in the direction of the lens. The other two legs should be positioned the way that you can easily stand between them. It will lower the probability of you accidentally bumping into your tripod while taking pictures. Now simply adjust the tripod level and you are ready to start shooting.
Are you sure you already know all of this? Maybe these easy photography tips how you can instantly become a better photographer are just right for you.
Tighten up properly
It doesn’t matter if you have used your tripod yesterday, one week ago or just 5 minutes ago, always check if all the screws are tighten up. It will take you just a few seconds and you’ll be sure, that the camera will not move at all or even fall off.
Don’t overload your tripod
There are so many kinds of tripods and they could be a topic for a whole new blog post. But basically if you have a pocket tripod it can’t hold a full frame camera with 70-200mm lens mounted on. If you own one of these big heavy cameras you should think of investing in a more stable tripod. The cheap ball head tripods tend to loosen under heavy load. Just test how it works with your setup before you go to make your desired photos. If the construction of your tripod is not able to hold your camera properly, usually it is enough to do small adjustments. Try to use prime lens which are usually much lighter and smaller. To create a better base of the tripod, you can also attach a bag on the bottom of the centre column to add some more weight and increase stability.
Use self-timer
You are standing behind the camera and have both hands free to press the shutter and we are telling you to use timer instead, does it sound stupid? Purpose of tripod is to make your camera completely steady and when you press the button you create pressure on the camera and the tripod itself. It’s really small vibration you create by that, but in long exposure shots like in night photography, it might make a big difference. You need the shot to be perfectly sharp! Set a timer for 2 seconds and you will completely exclude all outside influences so you can focus on other settings of your camera, knowing that your picture will be sharp.
Phone as remote control
Remote control is another way how to avoid any changes and vibration in your tripod camera setup. It might be quite expensive gadget if you don’t plan to use it often. However there is an option to use your smartphone as a remote controller with live preview. We use it very often while taking photos of us. It’s very handy to see live preview of your framing while standing on the spot you want, not behind the camera. Check your user manual for availability. Most of the new cameras have an option to connect via Bluetooth or WiFi. For Canon camera users there is an app called CameraConnect. It is a very convenient app we use regularly. And it is completely free to download here for iOS and for Android
We hope you find these tips useful. You might have known it all or you might have learned something new that you can start practicing from now on. Now you are confident about using a tripod and if you want to know how to edit as a professional keep reading.
Did you know that with these easy photography tips you can instantly become a better photographer today?
With Love,
Jelena and Luke
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