Food for thought: A response from Bryan Peterson on his use of tripods...

jwbryson1 · Jun 14, 2013

I know everybody in this forum hates this guy, but he's not stupid...so here you go for all you "more sharpness" people...

Digital Killed My Tripod

runnah · Jun 15, 2013

I don't see the conflict here.

o hey tyler · Jun 15, 2013

Tripods are too restricting.

Much like clothing.

Derrel · Jun 15, 2013

Tripods do take the spontaneity out of photography. For a lot of people, using a tripod helps them produce a lot of the SAME, exact shot. You know, the guy who sets up the tripod in one, specific location, then shoots thirty frames from that spot, then moves on to the next shot. When he gets back and downloads, he has a zillion of basically, the SAME shot, or shots made from the same camera position. SHots that are often boring, poor compositions.

One of the most-critical things behind a good photo is having the camera positioned in the right place.

The right distance, the right height, and the right angle. To me, those three things are MY TRIPOD. When those three fundamentals are employed to make a shot, then THAT is the real three-legged recipe for success. Distance. Height. Angle. It's almost always faster,easier, and just more practical to find the right distance, height, and angle when the camera is NOT locked on top of a bulky, cumbersome, slow-to-adjust tripod.

In many types of photography, all a tripod does is slow the photographer down, needlessly. And, it makes him LAZY after a while. He will set up, and due to the time and effort needed to unscrew and re-set three, or six, or even NINE leg locks, the tripod-based shooter will tend to grow roots. Not move. Keep the camera at the same height. Not be able to get to extreme angles because of the limiting nature of a tripod's range of heights.

So, as in many things, do not put too much stock in one way of looking at the world. If you want to be locked down, at one height, and stay at one distance most of the time, or set up only where three legs can fit, then by all means, revere the use of a tripod. It's great to talk about sharpness too, but watch out for subject motion blur and diffraction when shooting at those "tripod-mounted time ranges".

snowbear · Jun 15, 2013

I try to use a tripod unless I'm in an area where they are not allowed, or I'm shooting faster stuff.

1. It makes me slow down and think things through, a bit.
2. It helps me keep the camera still and get sharper photos.
3. Since mine is aluminum and not light weight carbon fiber, it makes a half-way decent urban weapon.

kundalini · Jun 15, 2013

Derrel said:
........
So, as in many things, do not put too much stock in one way of looking at the world. If you want to be locked down, at one height, and stay at one distance most of the time, or set up only where three legs can fit, then by all means, revere the use of a tripod. It's great to talk about sharpness too, but watch out for subject motion blur and diffraction when shooting at those "tripod-mounted time ranges".

Surely, you jest. My tripod legs range in height from 70" max to 4" min. How is that going to lock me down to one height? I have the ability to pick up the rig and move forward, backward, to either side and all points in between. How does that keep me at the same distance? My ball head can be locked for vertical movement, yet leave the lateral movement free to follow a passing subject. How does that prevent me from showing subject motion?

Besides, how can you take decent self portraits without a decent tripod? This one I know about. :biggrin:

I don't know. I like having a tripod and a monopod. Useful tools indeed.

Derrel · Jun 15, 2013

No, I am NOT kidding. I find most tripods are very restricting and impact negatively on a couple key aspects of the shooting process. But then again, I have owned an "automatic tripod" for years. It's the old Bogen 3021 (now re-named the Manfrotto 058B) tripod with the three-trigger release system that allows nearly INSTANT height adjustments and locking all three legs, simultaneously, in a just second or two.

With a thread-locking collar Gitzo or other CF tripod that has three-section legs, or worse yet, four-section legs, the plodding, glacially slow height adjustment process means locking and unlocking three, or six, or even nine leg locks, just to make a height adjustment. And this is why so many people get very lazy, and never adjust their tripod,m and do not find the best position for the camera--too much "work" in getting the tripod higher or lower, or at the right position on uneven ground, etc. It leads a lot of people into looking for a "spot" where the legs will "fit", plopping down, and calling it good.

I bought a carbon-fiber, three-section tripod last summer. I loathe it. It's lightweight, sturdy, and easy to pack, but it's piss poor for people work. Utter rubbish.

The Manfrotto 058B is far superior for people work of ALL types.