Tripod shooting tips

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Here's a quick top ten tick list for getting the most out of using your tripod while shooting.  Using a tripod outdoors forces you to take a bit more time and compose your shot in a more considered way than if you were just walking around snapping away.

1. Make sure you level your tripod properly before you start shooting. You may need to set the legs at different lengths on uneven firm ground like rocks – if your tripod has a spirit bubble, use this to get a level.
   
2. Ensure your tripod is as secure as possible. Many have a hook on the bottom of the centre column that you can add a weight to to aid stability. I always carry a plastic shopping bag that I can add rocks to and hang on the hook. Also, you can hang your camera bag on there and keep it off the ground and clean and dry! On soft ground, like sand, you can drive the legs into the ground for added stability. On many high end models you can remove the rubber feet and use leg spikes to help with this.
   
3. Always make sure you lock off any of the adjustment screws and levers before you start shooting, to keep everything tight and rattle free.
   
4. Always shoot with a remote cable release. This will ensure you get vibration free clean, sharp images as you can shoot without touching the camera body. I usually tie a loose loop in the cable near the handset end so I can hang the remote from one of the tripod levers. If you drop your remote release – the cable is usually long enough that it will hit the ground and could break. Also – if you’re stood in a stream, or at the edge of the sea – you’ll be buying a new remote.
   
5. Switch to manual focus before you start tripping the shutter. If you are using slot in filters, the auto focus can sometimes get fooled into re-focusing on each shot and this can be a real pain. I’ve found in practice that it’s far easier to compose your shot and get the focus correct with autofocus if needed – then switch to manual to prevent this. It will speed up your shots so you don't miss that cloud or flock of birds.
   
6. After composing and focusing through the eyepiece – switch to your camera’s live view. Once you’ve carefully set your shot up, you’re usually only looking at the variables in the frame (clouds, light changes, waves etc) to decide when to take the shot. This is far easier when you’re looking at the LCD screen and it will allow you to concentrate on your compositional elements without hunching over the camera. Also, you can stand away and ensure you don’t introduce any vibrations.
   
7. Blank off the eyepiece if you’re shooting using live view feature. Most cameras will come with a capping piece to cover the eye piece over. Slide off the cushioned rubber eyepiece and replace it with the cover blank. This will ensure that no light will leak into the back of the camera body through the eye piece when it’s not being covered by your face. If you don’t have a blanking plate for your camera, you can double over some duck tape or black electrical tape and then tape this over the eyepiece to blank out any light.
   
8. Use the lowest possible ISO. A good stable setup will allow you to use as long an exposure as you need, allowing you to use a low ISO and capture maximum detail while keeping a lid on noise.
   
9. If you’re setting up a shot where you want maximum depth of field, go for a small aperture, but steer clear of stopping your lens down all the way. Most lenses start to add varying degrees of lens aberration at the extremes of aperture and focal length, so if your lens stops down to say f/22, give f/19 a go – it will give great depth of field but avoid any colour fringing where dark items meet light – for instance, where rooftops meet the sky!
   
   
10. Always wash down your tripod when you get home to remove any mud or dirt. This is especially important if you’ve been shooting on a beach as sand will grit up the internals on your tripod’s sliding legs and salt will quickly destroy both steel and aluminium. Wash and dry everything so it’s ready to go next time!