Shooting on a Tripod, yay or nay?

[Derrel]

Lumping a monopod in with a tripod for the purposes of discussion? I do not get the logic of that, since the two are quite different. Monopods are typically used for WEIGHT-control, and for keeping the camera "ready", without the need to bring it up to eye-level, and then to support a 7.5 pound 300/2.8 and a 3.8 pound Nikon camera over the course of a track meet or football game. A monopod is in-between a tripod and hand-held shooting....it's sort of a little of both, and some of neither...

I am going to lump bicycling in with motorcycles [two-wheels, skinny tires], and fishing in with waterfowling...[both done from boats while on water]...for the purposes of making my next point....

 

[fjrabon]

Lumping a monopod in with a tripod for the purposes of discussion? I do not get the logic of that, since the two are quite different. Monopods are typically used for WEIGHT-control, and for keeping the camera "ready", without the need to bring it up to eye-level, and then to support a 7.5 pound 300/2.8 and a 3.8 pound Nikon camera over the course of a track meet or football game. A monopod is in-between a tripod and hand-held shooting....it's sort of a little of both, and some of neither...

I am going to lump bicycling in with motorcycles [two-wheels, skinny tires], and fishing in with waterfowling...[both done from boats while on water]...for the purposes of making my next point....

That was mostly because that is what Scott did, in the quote the OP was based around, I guess mostly because his larger point was just not shooting handheld, and getting that point across to amateurs. I realized after the fact that was confusing if you just took that one quote out of context, which is why I felt the need to clarify.

 

[analog.universe]

The more I hear about this author you're quoting, the less sense he makes to me. I absolutely cannot agree with any recommendation to "not shoot handheld". There's a time and a place for everything. As well, tripods and monopods may both be "not handheld", but they're completely different methodologies. This whole business of saying "X" is always a good idea, "Y" is always a bad idea, makes more trouble than it solves.

 

[gsgary]

WTF you said you were not going to post

I thought it was necessary to clear up what I meant originally, I wasn't arguing about what he said. I guess I meant more that I won't argue the point, not that I wouldn't post at all.

Though I originally didn't think I would post at all, I also didn't anticipate that people would take the OP as saying "you need to use a tripod sometimes." Nobody disagrees with that, but that wasn't what I was saying. It may well have been my fault for not making the OP clearer, but I wanted to make sure people understood the position I was advocating originally, as the reply didn't seem to really get what I was saying in the OP, or at the very least wasn't responsive to it.

I was only having a bit of fun

 

[MLeeK]

Not shooting hand held has gone the way of the Edsel. Yes, the theory used to be that NOTHING should be shot without one. However with advances in technology it's not so anymore. The theory was that no matter how fast your shutter is, it's frame of time that you can and do move causing blur that isn't visible to the naked eye in the image, however it was there. At this point in time our cameras and lenses are capable of MUCH that wasn't possible even 10 years ago.

When I use a tripod in studio it's more for convenience sake than anything else. If I am working with kids it's easier to place the camera on the tripod and shoot via remote. I can play and keep a child cornered where I want him that way.

For macro a tripod is an necessity.

Weddings? I never even take my tripod unless I am going to have a second shooter shooting a portrait setup in one corner or something.

Outdoor/on location portraits? I rarely use it. I shoot with a theory more like wedding photojournalism. Spend time with your clients as a FRIEND and capture the moments that happen. Can't do that on a tripod. Now outdoor studio style or strobist I MAY use a tripod, but more often than not I find myself popping the camera off of it and shooting hand held. It's a pain in the azz to cart a tripod around to get a different angle... Nor do I use a monopod for that. It's a pain in the azz if I want to get low for a shot.

Sports-I use a monopod occasionally-If I am feeling that tennis elbow that you can get from hoisting a camera or if it's crappy weather and my old body is telling me that I'm too damn old for this. HOWEVER I find myself getting low and having more trip up problems with it on my current setup. If I were shooting with one of the monster heavy lenses I'd use it 100% of the time for the reasons Derrel stated.

I have no idea what big name pros you are hanging with, but those I have been to see teach (and there have been many as I go to WPPi and Imaging USA at the very least) all shoot for the most part the same as I do. They use a tripod for studio work and probably should. Sure makes it easier, but for photojournalism it's not realistic. I have been to seminars and workshops with MANY of the worlds leading wedding photographers today and at no time do I remember them recommending shooting on a tripod. Ghionis, Becker, Beckstead, Garner, Cantrell, Yervant, Starr... Nope. Not that I can recall.
I have been to many portrait photographers and I'd say about 10-15% of them shoot on a tripod rebelliously. Those would be the studio style shooters like Sam Puc.

 

[kundalini]

In my mind, a tripod is just another tool. Kinda like a mechanic having a box wrench, a pair of channel locks, and a pair of vise grips. Depending on the task at hand, any of those tools may be applicable. Hell, sometimes all you need is your fingers.

I keep my monopod, tripod and a beanbag in my car pretty much most of the time..... I just never know what I'll need or want. One of my favorite images was shot with the camera sitting on a rubbish bin.

What's with all the squabble? It's not like someone asked for a definition of "Exposure".

 

[KmH]

In the studio I never used a tripod.

I used a camera stand instead. Manfrotto 816 Super Salon 280 Camera Stand (Black)

 

[photo guy]

I shoot with a tripod about 80+% of the time. I will shoot sometimes without a tripod like for shooting some wildlife, but for me it is a lot easier since you eliminate most chances of camera shake and don't have to hold the camera as much when taking the shots. It works a lot better this way. Easier to use the timer by using a tripod too.

 

[MTVision]

I disagree pretty heavily there. To me, the two biggest things that have made a difference in my photography was learning how the controls on my camera work, and how to properly use a tripod. Real photography is 75% done on a tripod and 23% of the other 25% of when it's not on a tripod (or monopod) it's because it just can't practically be shot on a tripod. As well, you can develop some bad habits early on by hand shooting for too long. I think it throws your sharpness eye off, and you get used to too much noise. A big part of learning to become a photographer and not a snapshooter (along with composition and lighting) is learning how to compose with a tripod.

I think this quote is why you got so much flack on the other thread. You did clarify that "real" photography was paid photography but still.....just because I mainly take child portraits and don't get paid for it doesn't make my photography any less "real" or any less valuable.

Tripods are useful tools but not everyone needs to use one all the time. If it works for you - then thats all that really matters!

 

[Overread]

Statistics are pointless without the data that they are based upon - and heck with so many statistical models out there one can easily twist any data set to show what they want rather than what the data might show


In the end I get the feeling that an author talking to beginners/early intermediates in a photography book is probably trying to present a simplified argument and thus some points of information might well be glossed over or exaggerated to carry the point. Further, as has been suggested earlier, older writings when photography was more equipment limited will show a stronger reliance upon a solid tripod support; esp if those authors were using big heavy and ergonomically poor cameras (esp if on medium format).

You've also got to evaluate the writers fields of interest and focus - a wildlife photographer who specialises in that work alone is going to have a very different skillset and viewpoint to someone who shoots pure indoor studio work with medium format gear. Neither one is correct nor incorrect; they are simply correct based on their experiences and within the environments and situations they shoot.


In the end, like many have said above, I treat a tripod like an additional tool. I can choose to use it when it will benefit me and I can choose not to use it. Technical perfection demands that one use it, however photography isn't just about the technical but also about the artistic.
I've shot landscapes - wildlife - macro - random portraits all without a tripod and all with. In many of those situations bringing the tripod would actually have cost me the shot because its a slower way of working. Othertimes it helped a at getting a sharper shot and the rest of the time it was a requirement to get a sharper shot.


In the end read the references, but also do your best to evaluate the positions of the people talking and then mix that with your own equipment and style of working.

 

[molested_cow]

Really depends on what you are shooting and your equipment.

For street photos, tripod is a hassle and obstacle. For wildlife, if you don't need to move much, tripod is a huge plus especially with long lens. Landscape can benefit greatly from using a tripod, especially when doing HDR.

When using a tripod, IMO it will be pointless if you are not using a remote trigger, so set up time is a problem. Again, depends on what you are shooting.

 

[Dao]

Basically it is a tool. Use it if needed and if you are fine without, then don't use it. There are times, I can't do it without it. Imaging taking firework photos without a tripod or with something that my camera can sit on it securely.

 

[akwildshots]

yay