Avoiding Camera Shake Without a Tripod

“Swan, Lausanne, Switzerland” © Copyright Ed Krimen

Whether you’re outside on vacation after dusk or shooting the next family reunion indoors and out, let’s face it: A tripod isn’t always the most convenient piece of equipment to lug around with you. Perhaps that’s why so many people resist them, relying instead on their built-in camera stabilization or a very steady hand, and regretting their less-than-desirable results afterward.

Well, fret no more: Ray Davis, writing for Photodoto, has assembled a list of more “transport friendly” devices which you can use in place of a tripod for those times when you need for rock-solid image stabilization:

1. Monopod. Ideal for smaller cameras and shorter exposures. We wrote about one example of a hybrid monopod, called the TrekPod, previously on the Photobird blog here.
2. Beanbags. They’re cheap, lightweight, and easy to travel with! Simply place a beanbag between your camera and the rock, bench, or car roof and you’re good to go.
3. Use the Self-Timer. Avoid camera shake by not touching the camera when the shutter is released. This works even if your camera is precariously balanced on the precipice of a cliff; that is, unless it falls down the cliff before the picture’s taken.
4. Use Fast Shutter Speed. Hold the camera close to your body for support, exhale, and shoot a number of shots with the shutter speed between 1/60th and 1/125th. Hopefully, one of them will turn out well!

In addition, you can try building a rope pod or using a Joby Gorillapod.

Tags: Photo, Photography, Photos