Tripods in photography
Tripods and photography are closely connected. Nowadays, there’s a lot of excitement about in-camera stabilization, lens stabilization, and software stabilization—methods that allow photographers to avoid using and carrying a tripod. While these advancements are impressive, particularly with the rise of full-frame mirrorless cameras, some shots still require a bit more time and effort.
Photography is an art form, and when you aim to convey your emotions or ideas from a specific moment, you may need to ensure everything is in focus. You might want to capture the movement of clouds to represent strong winds and inclement weather, or perhaps you wish to transform water surfaces into smooth, glass-like reflections. To achieve any of these effects, or even all of them at once, mastering long-exposure photography is essential, and this is nearly impossible to do without a tripod.
Long Exposure Photography
As we were riding along a narrow trail, I spotted a large puddle to my left. I decided to stop and walk around it to get to the other side, and that’s when it struck me—what a fantastic frame! I realized that a proper long exposure would help me tell a better story and potentially create an epic shot. I returned to my bike to gather my gear: a tripod, ND filters, and graduated filters, but unfortunately, I had forgotten my remote trigger. It’s frustrating that in 2021, despite spending almost $5,000 on a professional DSLR, you still need a trigger to achieve longer exposures than 30 seconds. So, if you, like me, forget your trigger, your only option is to work with a small aperture and a maximum exposure time of 30 seconds.
Regarding tripods, there are workarounds, like stacking hundreds of still images in Photoshop, but if you’re aiming for long exposures, the combination of ND filters and a tripod is essential for achieving proper results. You may or may not like my editing and color choices, but the image is intriguing and tells a story that captures attention. I wasn’t using a full professional tripod since motorcyclists and hikers need to minimize equipment weight, but a good travel tripod can still get the job done. Plus, if you’re storing it on your bike, it doesn’t even have to be made of carbon fiber.
The moral of the story is to consider carrying a travel tripod with you at all times—no matter the situation—even if you only anticipate needing it once during three days of riding. A great frame and weather opportunity can arise unexpectedly, anywhere, so it’s best to be prepared.
Never leave home without your camera, iPad, sunglasses, and a tripod!