site logosite logo
  • Home
  • Photography Workshops
  • Prints & Canvases
    • Photographic Prints
    • Canvas Prints of Wales
    • Canvas Prints of the Lake District
  • Reviews
  • Biography
  • Blog
  • Links
    • Supporters
    • Recommended Links
0 items in your cart
CART TOTAL: £0.00
SIDEBAR

The Three Legged Beastie…

6 comments
  • Nick's Blog
Aug 21 2013

I had a meeting this morning with Giotto’s Tripods – they very kindly support me with their excellent products in return for my feedback and demonstrations to clients/potential clients of Freespirit Images. This prompted me to ask the obvious question – why a tripod, especially now with IS/VR/OS etc lenses AND cameras.

Well, my reasons, and therefore recommendations, are as follows:

1. the obvious one– the tripod holds the camera absolutely perfectly steady. This allows you to produce sharp photos at all shutter speeds. No more camera shake!
2. the not so obvious one – “at all shutter speeds” – this means if using narrow apertures and long exposure times (making water look ‘flowy’ for example) a tripod becomes absolutely vital. No matter how good the IS/VR/OS function claims to be it simply will not work for exposures running into seconds or minutes (or even hours if doing star trails)
3. the ‘oh! that’s a good point’ one’ – I often use different filters/apertures/shutter speeds/exposure compensation on a series of shots to see which gives me the optimum result. I defy anyone to repeat a hand held composition EXACTLY for each exposure. Cue Mr Tripod. The compostion is locked in and so all and any comparisons become more meaningful – apples with apples etc.

I really would advise against cheap tripods, too many folk bring them on workshops and really struggle, very often jettisoning them in favour of a better one. A cheap one is always a false economy.

Of course, tripods have a place – landscape, coastal, etc etc. Also for architecture where there is room and it is appropriate. There are times when spontaneity is needed and here the tripod is of little use (e.g. urban ‘people’ photography perhaps). But, for static or fixed subjects, it really makes a substantial difference

Et voila! Le tripod. Moan about having to bring it with you and then purr when you see the results.

🙂

 

 

 

« Day of Judgement…
Blow your photos up!… »
  1. Judi Lion 

    I started out with a cheap tripod, just to see if I thought I would actually use one, and was soon converted. I’ve owned a few over the years, and now have a Giottos. Still hate them, cumbersome, fiddly, a pain to carry, but they really do make a difference, doing all the things you say Nick, and the one you always mention during workshops, they slow you down and give you more time to think about what you are doing, and to take a good look around the viewfinder to make sure what you are capturing before you press the shutter.

    The Converted 🙂

    August 21, 2013 at 7:37 pm Reply
  2. Nick Jenkins 

    That is a very good point – when you are, as Judi Lion says, putting the tripod up it does have a ‘slowing down’ effect on you, discouraging the ‘one snap and I am off’ approach!

    August 21, 2013 at 8:09 pm Reply
  3. Jules 

    And I thought it was me being a not so good photographer and a wimp for using a tripod. Everyone else seems to just be able to snap away and get good photos and there’s me coming home with out of focus shots. I don’t feel such a wimp now Nick, thanks Julie

    August 22, 2013 at 7:47 am Reply
  4. Tracey Ann Smith 

    I found out the hard way cheap tripods don’t work! Trying to photograph a sunset on a windy hill with my 50-300 mm lens didn’t work! Trouble is having the money to pay for one that does the job,I’ve looked around and can’t afford or really justify paying £100’s for photography when I’m not making money out of selling my photos! But after reading your blog realise the benefits of having a good quality solid tripod!

    August 22, 2013 at 11:34 am Reply
  5. Ginny 

    I agree Nick- have great tripod for home use, but am still looking for the perfect tripod for travel that won’t break the bank, but do the job!

    August 22, 2013 at 2:31 pm Reply
  6. Mil 

    For years I’ve struggled with the “carry around weight” v “image quality” of using a tripod. I have recently purchase the lightest carbon fibre Giottos Silk Road which I use with the Kirk ball head I already owned (which facilitates an L bracket). Best of both worlds and anticipate making a lot of use of it.
    Agree though the biggest benefit of a tripod is slowing me down and making me look at what I’m taking.

    December 14, 2013 at 12:10 pm Reply

Submit a Comment Cancel Reply

Recent Posts

  • On Reflection – Part 2
  • Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged?
  • Trying something different…
  • Photographic Post Processing
  • Close to the edge…

Recent Comments

  • Judi Lion on Lake District Photography Workshop
  • Jennie Williams on Scillies 2019 Photography Workshop
  • Alan on Don’t Forget Portrait Format!
  • Alan on Welcome to my Blog
  • Barbara Fleming. on On Reflection – Part 2

Archives

  • January 2017
  • October 2016
  • May 2016
  • March 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • April 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • August 2011

Categories

  • Animals
  • Camera Technique
  • Camera Technology
  • Composition Technique
  • Feelings
  • Food
  • Music
  • Nick's Blog
  • People
  • Photography
  • Places
  • Post Processing
  • Trip
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

T: 029 2089 0930 - M: 078 7662 4185 E: nick@freespiritimages.com

Website by Cardiff Creative