3 reasons to use a tripod *warning 56k detrimental*

[gonzo]

1. You can take better photos
2. It will give you some semblance of looking like a pro
3. chicks dig the tripod

Seriously though, i got myself one of these new fangled lightweight travel tripods. Not the best in the world, but hey it does the trick . I went around my usual spots in auckland to take some pics. I got carried away with my new ability to take 30 seconds but here are some results:


20" f/11

30" f/11

3" f/9.5

20" f/8.0

30" f/5.6

30" f/11

Not superstar shots, but i am so happy I finally got out and got one. I am still trying to work to get the f/stop and shutterspeed right but i think its a good start!

[TPF Sponsor]

[LaFoto]

And indeed it is! I'm all impressed. Too bad I broke something off the tripod my sister once gave me as a birthday present (still haven't dared to tell her...!) by being too careless.

Unfortunately I'm finding I can't attach a - how do you call that thing? - kind of cord to the shutter, so that I would not even have to touch the camera in order to get the photo, do you know what I mean? The old Leicas that my dad and uncle (and later my sister) used had different shutter buttons (there must be a better word for those!!!) where you could attach this kind of cord or cable or well... thing.

I would LOVE to experiment more with night-photography (the moon!), but...

So here's my warning to all: once you HAVE your tripod, be careful with it. Treat it well! Or things may break off...


Oh, by the way: I like the third picture best. I can't tell why, hardly ever can when I like a photo, I just feel it.
And the bridge...
... and actually all of them, but No.3 is still my favourite.

[Dew]

nice colors

we had 2 tripods, now we have one (one of them broke) ... most times i will carry a tripod to a shoot and use it 2 times .. i despise tripods, i find them too restricting :? ... i like to move around a lot and hit it from different angles

[Jeff Canes]

Nice work, all have a lot of motion in the clouds, think I like the ones @20” just a little more, you are getting same effect in the water but it a little hard to see, #s 3 & 4 are my favorite

[Osmer_Toby]

i like # 5, "the bridge." nice dof, the light play really makes it work. tripos work at night is fun, eh? heh heh.

[bogleric]

My two favorites are the first one and the bridge picture. The richness of color makes these very nice and the DOF is great.

Tripods really do help, the sharpeness of these two pictures is perfect.

[Big Mike]

Sometimes a tripod is helpful because it causes to slow you down and think about what you are shooting. You may think more about your composition than if you simply point & shoot. Of course this works best with landscape photography because the landscape is not going anywhere.

LaPhoto, if you don't have a remote shutter release, does your camera have a self timer? That's what I use to shoot without touching the camera.

[LaFoto]

Thank you, BigMike, a) for the word (storing away "remote shutter release... remote shutter release... remote shutter release") and b) for the idea - and I tell you what: when I was thinking about this this afternoon, this idea about using self-timer sprang to mind, too! Ha!

But since we're talking about words (among other thing), please, someone, do tell me what DOF stands for, will you? I haven't got a CLUE.

All I know is that "DOOF" in German means "stupid", but this CANNOT be meant here with DOF!!!

[wwjoeld]

Number 5 is my favorite the bridge just leads you into the distance.

[gonzo]

do tell me what DOF stands for

hi laphoto "DOF" = Depth of Field. just learned that myself

The bridge shot here was kinda of interesting, its next to a roadway and the car headlights wore bouncing off the wharf. I was wondering why they didn't have the lamposts lit though. Think that could have added a nice extra dimention to the shot.

[terri]

Mark: they're all lovely, showing off your good eye as usual - but my fave out of the group is #3. Looks very painterly. Beautiful!!

[cowbert098]

Wow great colors. Nice and rich

[Nytmair]

awesome pics! #3 is definately one of my faves out of the group.

[photobug]

I'm just appalled that a young buck like you can't hand-hold a twinky little 20 second shot!

Very nice Mark. How long had the sun been down when you took these?

[mrsid99]

Good stuff Mark and especially the fifth one.