Do you even need a tripod today? With cameras and lenses with anti-shake systems and image stabilisation, surely you can just lift your camera and snap an image that'll be fine every time? Worse, the lack of spontaneity that comes with using a tripod just kills creativity, doesn't it?
Long exposure
1/200 @ f7.1 handheld
1 sec @ f22, tripod mounted (with circular polarizer and ND grad filters)
Notice the smoothness of the running water. The longer exposure has allowed for the exposure to bring the colours through in the trees. In this instance the filters really bring the photograph together. The greater depth of field allows the focus to be sharp from the foreground detail to infinity.
Many thanks to ThinkCamera member Simon Boone for providing the above landscape photographs.
Whether you want greater depth of field and desire a smaller aperture or you want to use a lower ISO for image quality, being restricted to holding a camera by hand will limit the number of available solutions at your disposal.
Of course, when shooting at long exposure any moving subjects within the shot will suffer with blur - but this is used to the distinct advantage of many landscape photographers; a longer exposure will give running water a smooth 'flat' look. Some photographers go so far as to make extremely long exposures (could be up to a number of hours) where stars leave a trail due to the rotation of the earth.
Composition
A tripod slows you down, but it means you can compose your images meticulously. You can ensure that the camera is level (some tripods have built-in spirit/bubble levels, or you can get spirit levels that fit into the hot shoe of a DSLR), and carefully analyse what you are going to shoot.
With tripod: ISO 100, 2 seconds @ f5.6 allows full use of available light
Auto settings are grteat if you're on a night out and need some quick and easy snaps, but in a situation like this the focal point goes out the window and the flash 'damages' the exposure.
Even utilising high ISO settings with the best available light and shooting handheld may not render enough light for a successful exposure, plus focus control may be a bit tricker to get perfect
Close Up / Macro
Tripod camera support enables greater control, such as depth of field whilst maintaining composition and exposure:
Anyone that's familiar with extension tubes, long macro lenses or photographs objects close up will know that the slightest movement will be significant. Framing and focus by hand is an extremely difficult task that only a tripod will successfully resolve.
See ThinkCamera's Macro Photography and Harry Shepherd's Reflection/Refraction articles for further insights.
The right kit for the job
The point of a tripod is to hold the camera steady, and it's no good if the materials that make up that tripod cannot do that. This is why the best tripods are made out of tubular section aluminium or carbon fibre. That old maxim - you buy cheap, you buy twice - seems made for tripods, because you will soon outgrow a cheap tripod.
Look for something light, sturdy and strong that is transportable and appropriate for the type of work you will be using it for. Manfrotto offer a decent range of tripods respected by enthusiasts and professionals alike, such as the < http://www.thinkcamera.com/news/article/mps/UAN/608/v/1/sp/>190X range
Some tripods have centre columns that can be mounted horizontally. Also, some specialists will need to push outside of the standard three-way head:
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3 way head: Independent controls - tilt left-right, tilt up-down and 360degree rotation.
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Ball head: One releasing mechanism controls all movements. Better weight dispersion makes this stronger.
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Panoramic head: Specialist kit for precise and equal movements used for making panoramic photographs in post production.
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Geared head: Similar to a three-way head but with precision geared controls. This means rather than manually adjusting, each movement is precisely wound into position.
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See ThinkCamera's Manfrotto 190X ProB Tripod & 804RC2 Head: Review - it might be just the sort of thing that you're looking for.
Downsides of using a tripod
Good tripods are uncomfortable to carry round for any length of time. They seem to attract klutzes, too - no matter how careful you are, people will walk into or trip over your tripod the moment you step away from it.
You can also become over reliant on their stability, giving you a false sense of invulnerability. Unless the tripod is locked down and the quick-release plate is firmly in place, a tripod can either part company with your camera or send it hurtling to the ground.
There are also limits placed upon 'professional' photography these days - so certain tourist attractions and public places may prohibit the use of a tripod altogether, or demand a permit to shoot. Just try popping your tripod down in Trafalgar Square for 10minutes and see how long you last. Even in less touristy places, plonking down a tripod is often met with shouts of 'get orf mah lahhnd', or similar.
What about Image Stabilisation?
Image Stabilisation (IS) is designed to counteract camera shake (horizontally and/or vertically) when using a camera by hand. IS acts like making your hands even steadier, allowing you to use surprisingly long shutter speeds without a problem, where a tripod should be used for the reasons mentioned above.
Whilst it's certainly a massive help for handheld work, it doesn't replace the application of a tripod at all. As a little experiment we took some rather shakey-handed shots with and without in camera image stabilisation:
Without Image Stabilisation (IS)
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With Image Stabilisation (IS)
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Conclusion
Far from simply hanging on from the film days, a tripod remains an essential tool in any photographers' arsenal. Not appropriate for every occasion, when it is required it becomes the difference between a simple shot and a great one. It will fundamentally change your working process.
