Tripods matter when you’re shooting landscapes. Robert Keeley explains the finer points of good tripod technique.
Perhaps the most effective, yet simple technique you can use
to improve your landscape images is shooting with your camera set on a tripod.
Under many circumstances, and especially where the light is strong, it’s
feasible to shoot effective landscapes without tripods, but by setting your
camera onto a solid tripod you’ll achieve a couple of important objectives.
The
most important – and arguably least obvious – is the change it makes to your shooting style. Using a tripod will slow you down. Tripods take time to set up, even if
you have a quick–release plate fitted to your camera. Simply taking the time
to fasten your camera to a tripod will slow down your overall approach to
shooting an image.
This is more important than you might think. By allowing you
time to think, your creative thought processes can develop. Sometimes it’s
necessary to shoot quickly, but landscape images are often better when you can
mull over them for a while. The extra time gives you a chance to look carefully
at every option – a deliberate process which invariably produces a better
picture.
Of course, using a tripod will also help you hold your camera absolutely steady. What’s the key advantage of this? It will
allow you to use a slower shutter speed if necessary. This won’t matter on
bright, sunny days, but it will allow you to shoot extended exposures at either
end of the day, when the light is marginal, around sunrise or sunset, and still make a sharp photo.
These times
encompass the so-called “magic hours”, when the colours of dawn or dusk light
can enhance any scene, as long as your image is sharp. The tripod will allow
you to shoot such an image. You can improve your results further by using your camera’s self-timer to
avoid any vibration when you press the shutter or, even better, a remote or cable release.
What sort of tripod should you use? Generally, you’ll get
what you pay for. Big, solid tripods offer more stability. But
they are usually heavier and you’ll find yourself coming up with excuses to avoid carrying
them! Carbon fibre tripods are very light and also strong, but they can cost a
fortune. Lighter weight, cheaper tripods are easier to carry, but they might not last that long!
Finally, if you have a rickety tripod, here’s
one last tip. Take a small sack or bag, about the size of two fists, on your explorations. Once you
set up, fill the bag with sand or pebbles, then tie it with piece of cord around
400 to 500mm long to the bottom of the central column of the tripod. Especially if the weather is windy or blustery, this extra
weight can add just the right amount of stability you’ll need to get a really
sharp picture.