Lanscape/Portrait Aspect - Tripods

[Crotographer]

A couple basic concepts which I always employ.

I almost always use a tripod. I don't care what the situation, for what I do, not what you do. The tripod is a device which is anyones best assurance of a sharp photograph. On all the forums I participate in I find discussions about cameras, lenses, post processing and the like. There are also a huge amount of questions about sharpness. 'Why aren't my photos sharp?' 'What do I do with photoshop to use an unsharp mask?'

I almost always use a tripod. I do not trust my steadiness beyond f 8 depending on the light and, therefore, shutter speed. Of course, I am approaching my last birthday in my fifties. Due to injuries as a carousing youth I am not steady anymore for tack sharp focus. That said, I have used a tripod since the early seventies. I found its inconvenience to be the balance between lousy and crisp focus.

I guess this has been covered a zillion times but I wanted to make this mention. Yes, I understand there are those occasions when a tripod is critically in the way. I feel that not enough emphasis is given to original focus. You can crop and PP an image to death with near perfect focus. You can waste hours thinking you can hold a camera still because you have faith in your muscles. Tripods are used by surveyors. They have to get it right or your car runs off the road. If you don't want your attempts at capturing a great image to run off the road, use a tripod. Make it a part of your craft. A bit heavier and a pain to carry, yes. How you value your time in the field is another matter.

Yet, for those of you who are getting started and wanting to buy equipment to accelerate your photographic results, a tripod is very important. No amount of post processing can fix an out of focus photo. A tripod will virtually assure that your photo is sharp.

Exposure is usually best achieved before the 4th beer.

[Worm324]

Good advice!!

Best,
Jay

[Naturalist]

Good point crotographer! Several goood points, in fact.

I remember hearing that once you hit 40 years old your body is going to start paying for everything you have ever done. Boy was that true and I am still aching today in the places that I abused as a younger man (no not there...the knees and ankles!) LOL

Back on topic: I do not travel anywhere without my tripod. When asked, I suggest people purchase a tripod ASAP, in fact before purchasing another lens or auxillary flash, and use it more often than they think they should. Also, if someone is paying less than $100 for the tripod, its probably crap - pay once, cry once and be done with it!

If anyone were to see me out in the field photographing, they would see my digital camera mounted onto a Bogen tripod and carrying it over my shoulder as I moved from one location to another.

Its a hassel but my images are as sharp as they can possibly be.

[Crotographer]

Naturalist, First, Thanks for the reply. Second, I love your sig quote. So very much on the money. Light has always been my first consideration. I will pass up a photo if the light is lousy. I will always plan out an optimum time to come back to the scene if the compo is good enough.

My first tripod, which I still have, is a Linhof. It still has the label, "Made In West Germany". Gives you an idea of its age; and mine, he said sheepishly.

[trentchau]

there are alternatives to tripods that can help. Monopods with braces on the bottom, or monopods itself can help quite a bit.

What Im curious about is what the title has to do with the tripod?

[Crotographer]

You have to reach out to get it. Landscape/Portrait. The two aspects of the print that depend on the aspect of the sensor or film. Tilted vertically, is portrait, tilted horizontally is landscape. OK? Or, is there another derivative question?

[trentchau]

Originally Posted by Crotographer

You have to reach out to get it. Landscape/Portrait. The two aspects of the print that depend on the aspect of the sensor or film. Tilted vertically, is portrait, tilted horizontally is landscape. OK? Or, is there another derivative question?

I never imagined as a graphic designer I would get a lecture on portrait and landscape.

Next time I have a chance I'll put a tripod on my computer monitor and tell people it represents portrait and landscape

[D.Rodgers]

Good tips !! Just needed to add this ,dont be afriad to use your mirror lockup feature as well yes it ruin a picture espescialy on a non ash tripod They feel the vibrations.
I myself use a mono pod most of my locations are hard to get too (macro ).

[Crotographer]

Trentchau...will shut my mouf...Got home, looked at the posts on my email...got up and left for an hour and came back and posted the "tripod" thing. I can be a goober. Pretty decent photographer, yet, and I admit it, easily distracted as to posting.

PLEASE...don't mount your monitor on a cheap tripod! The portrait view can end up in a can of snakes on the floor. Accept my apologies. Well met. My humble apologies for being the worlds dumbest poster. Proud of it? Nah.

OK, that's done, back to work.

[Benji]

For 24 1/2 of my 25 years as a professional photographer I used a tripod and I mean I used a TRIPOD, the Bogan 3035 which is a VERY heavy duty unit. Bogan advertisements in the 1980's showed Les Bogan sitting on top of one of them. I used it with my Bronica GS 1 (it was heavy also.) Regardless of what I was photographing or where I was, in the studio or outdoors the camera was mounted on top of a tripod and I used a cable release. Then I bought a DSLR (30D Canon) with autofocus. At first I continued to use a tripod for about six months. Then one day while cleaning out the van I set it aside to vacuum the carpet. When I finished I inadvertantly left the tripod at home. The next day I had an outdoor shoot and was horrified to discover I didn't have my tripod with me and I was 12 miles from home! So I shot the entire session hand held using autofocus. NONE of the image were OOF or blurry. I was shocked. I quit using a tripod after that for everything, in the studio, outdoors, weddings, the whole enchalada. Wait, I did drag it out several months ago to do a lens sharpness test, but it is back in storage now, most likely forever.

Benji

[Stime]

Every image on my website/gallery was taken with a tripod... every single one. Good advice.

- Scott

[Sidebyte]

At my age now, I don't have a choice. My old aluminum (Velbon) is just too flimsy for larger cameras especially with longer lens so last year I bought a Benro carbon fiber legs and a ballhead. The ballhead is so-so and I now ordered a "U" bracket like Richard Crowe recommended. The legs are super stiff, not too heavy, twist lock and well made. I try to always use a remote when I can, cuts down vibrations.

[richardpcrowe]

Even less than premium lenses can often produce very reasonably sharp images when shot at about two stops down from wide open and when shot using a tripod.

If anyone has a 18-55mm kit lens - try shooting about f/8 to f/11 on a tripod. The results will be surprisingly good in quality.

[jfrancho]

Originally Posted by richardpcrowe

Even less than premium lenses can often produce very reasonably sharp images when shot at about two stops down from wide open and when shot using a tripod.

If anyone has a 18-55mm kit lens - try shooting about f/8 to f/11 on a tripod. The results will be surprisingly good in quality.

So true:









The first and fourth were both tripod shots. (to keep it relevant)

[Sidebyte]

Originally Posted by Crotographer

You have to reach out to get it. Landscape/Portrait. The two aspects of the print that depend on the aspect of the sensor or film. Tilted vertically, is portrait, tilted horizontally is landscape. OK? Or, is there another derivative question?

I got so confused about portrait and landscape I took a 6 shot panorama in portrait by mistake and the sixth shot was a photo of my feet.