A good tripod is heavy, expensive, impeding and absolutely necessary. Good photographers realize the importance of a tripod in many situations even though they can be a pain to lug from location to location. Here are 10 very good reasons to either buy a tripod or pull yours out of the closet.
To Be in the Picture
When taking self-portraits or group shots, a tripod can't be beat. If you need to be in the picture and can't hold the camera, then tables, bookcases, fireplace mantels and the like can be used in a pinch, but for true worry-free control over camera placement, a tripod is a must.
To Reduce Motion Blur
Low shutter speeds make it so any movement from the camera will ruin the sharpness of the shot. If a shot requires a low shutter speed, a tripod will allow you to do so without sacrificing sharpness or worrying about camera shake. To make the most of this, use the camera's timer or a remote to take the shot.
To Increase Motion Blur
What if you want motion blur? Going for a smooth water fall or streaking lights at night requires a sharp background but a slow shutter speed. A sturdy tripod will eliminate camera shake and allow only your subject to be blurred.
To Make the Most of Low Light
A moody portrait. A poorly lit wedding. A stormy sky. All of these low-light photo opportunities could be missed without a tripod. Again, unless you are using a flash, the proper exposure will need a low shutter speed, and a tripod is the best way to maintain a crisp photograph.
To Get Sharp Focus
Even at high shutter speeds, camera shake can impact the sharpness of the shot. Any situation that doesn't require constant movement by the photographer can benefit from tripod use, as it makes for the sharpest image possible.
To Make the Most of Landscapes
Landscapes are often completely still but benefit from tripod use because it allows you to get the sharpest possible focus for your camera and lens. Since landscape photography usually requires small apertures to keep more of the shot in focus, the ability to lower the shutter speed without increasing the ISO is invaluable.
To Compose the Shot Carefully
Lugging around a tripod, setting it up and composing the shot can be a lot of work-- enough work that each shot will often be well thought out and adjusted to perfection. This is something that is harder to accomplish with a handheld camera, as the freedom makes composing a shot almost secondary to other concerns. A tripod will force you to slow down and pay attention to composition in a way nothing else will.
To Steady a Large Camera or Lens
A large SLR camera is heavy. It's even heavier with a large telephoto lens attached. A tripod can keep a heavy camera steady but also decreases muscle fatigue associated with constantly lifting a heavy camera up to your eye.
To Experiment With Exposure
There is no such thing as a perfect exposure, just the perfect exposure for the effect you want to produce. A tripod can help you compose the shot and then take multiple identical pictures with different exposures while you find the depth of field and brightness that tell the story best.
To Make the Most of Macrophotography
Macrophotography requires very large apertures, which means a very small depth of field. The depth of field is often so small that any movement of the camera or subject could make your focal point lose focus. A tripod will remove camera shake from the equation and allow you to focus on composition and other settings.
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