On
tripod technique
by J. Ramón Palacios
username jrp
Nikonian in Mexico
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Even
if you already own -or by now have decided to own- either of
the tripod brands and models shown in the What
Tripod FAQ, they don't work alone. Tripods benefit from
all the help you can give them. More so if with a long lens.
-
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Photophil's
beanbag-over-lens trick to add stability
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PROVEN
GOOD NIKONIANS TRIPOD TECHNIQUE PRACTICES
FOR
ADDED STABILITY:
- Make
certain you have planted well your tripod legs and they won't
slip, if spiked the better.
- If
you don't have to extend any leg sections of the tripod, don't.
.
- Place
the palm of your hand on top of the barrel of a long lens
and lean on it, pressing hard with the hand above, where the
tripod collar is attached.
.
- An
alternative is to place a bean bag -as shown above- instead
of your hand.
.
- Add
weight to your tripod, either by using an apron with rocks
or hanging your camera bag from it, especially if there is
wind.
- Never
ever extend the center column -if you are still carrying it-
it makes it a monopod over a tripod and very unstable.
- Add
an eyecup to the camera viewfinder and press it hard against
your skull, creating an additional point of contact for added
stability.
FOR
VIBRATION REDUCTION:
- Always
use a cable release. If your camera can take an electronic
one, prefer it over a mechanical.
.
- If
you cannot use a cable release, at least use the self-timer.
.
- If
your camera has mirror lock up ("MLU") use it by
all means.
.
- If
your lens has a tripod collar with foot, use it to attach
your camera-lens setup instead of from the camera body tripod
socket.
.
- If
you still have a budget after all of this, get Kirk
improved tripod collars for your long lenses. Otherwise slide
an empty plastic film canister in between the foot of the
tripod collar and the lens barrel when feasible (like with
the 300mm f/4 AF-S).
.
- For
vertical ("portrait") compositions with a lens without
rotating tripod collar, get an L
bracket.
-
.If
you don't have a bean bag or an apron when under the
wind, just don't extend the legs of the tripod and lean
on the tripod while shooting. All tripods, when unextended,
are at their most stable position.
A
not so often mentioned advantage of having a tripod is
that with it one can lock a composition for careful study.
If
there is one element out of place, or something else that
should be included in the frame, you can see it and change
it.
If
it looks great but should be polarized or filtered, now
you can do it without changing the composition. |
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And
of course, don't forget to ....
Have
a great time 
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