What do you use when you need to take an important, low-light photo (indoors or outside) and you don't have a tripod? You improvise.
All of these have served me well:
- A table top
- A countertop
- The back of a chair
- The hood of a car
- A fence or fence post
- A tree branch
- Leaning tight against a tree trunk
- Leaning tight against a door jamb
There are more that you can use depending on your actual shooting situation and what is available, but these should help. They have served me well, and I have taken exposures up to 4 seconds this way. Just be careful not to move or bump the camera when pushing and releasing the shutter.
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I had to take a telephoto of a furnace vent far away on a roof. That usually makes for some blurry shots. I used a retaining wall, and it came out great!
Jay,
You use what you can, and this technique has worked well. Glad you had good results. :)
Steve
Hi Steve,
Some great ideas here. My husband just bought me a 1 legged tripod that is so convenient to take with me anywhere as it closes up into a small thin case and easy and quick to open and close. I like your ideas as we have to improvise.
Kristin,
Thanks. I can't seem to use a monopod. Aside from the fact that I dropped it and broke it twice (the last time, it coldn't be fixed), I wiggle with it. That's why I resort to the other methods. :)
Steve