Using a Tripod for Landscape Photography
Taking landscape photography is an amazing way to capture the beauty of nature, and with the right equipment, you can capture stunning images. One essential tool for landscape photography is a tripod, and it is important to understand how to use one correctly in order to get the best shots. A tripod helps to keep the camera to stay still while taking photos and allows landscape photographers to take long exposures without the camera shaking. This can be important in landscape photography, especially when dealing with low light conditions like sunrise or sunset.
Using a tripod is also beneficial for composition. You can adjust the height or angle of the camera to get the perfect shot, and it's much easier to do this with a tripod than by hand. You can also use the tripod combined with the grid feature on the back of your camera to move the camera around until you find something interesting to place on the power points. Check out our blog post on using the rule of thirds in landscape photography for more information.
Katie Fox shooting landscape photography in minus 30 degree temperatures in Canada. She has used the tripod to angle the camera upwards towards the mountains she is photographing.
When choosing a tripod, it's important to consider the type of photography you plan on doing. For landscape photography, you will likely want a tripod with a center column that can be adjusted for maximum height. Choosing a tripod that has an built-in level can help with ensuring your camera is straight and level before you shoot. That Wall Art Shop photographers both choose to use Manfrotto tripods because of their quality and durability. Katie has the carbon fibre tripod making it ultra light to carry and she prefers shooting landscapes with a ballhead. The ballhead has built in levels and enables you to rotate the camera whilst it is on the tripod to get the ultimate angle for your landscape photography. I, (Fox) have a fluid video head which I use for capture nature videos, portraits and landscape photography. Check out the Manfrotto site for a range of tripods and tripod heads to suit your individual needs.
Once you have chosen a tripod, it is important to set it up correctly. Make sure the legs of the tripod are spread out evenly and securely, and the center column is adjusted to the desired height. You should also make sure the camera is securely attached to the head or the tripod. If you are shooting in windy conditions, consider adding weights to your tripod centre pole and/or add sand bags around the tripod legs, to stabilise your camera before you take a landscape photograph. This technique of weighing down and around the tripod is what we have used to capture the following images, which were both shot during storms;
Using a tripod can be a bit intimidating at first, but with a little practice, it will become second nature. It may seem like a lot of work to set up, but it is important to take the time to make sure it is done correctly in order to get the best results. Whilst using a blurring affect can be effective in some landscape photographs, you want to make sure it's deliberate and not from camera shaking during the image capture. Taking the time to get the setup right will pay off in the end ensuring you produce images that are sharp enough to blow up to billboard size.
If you have any questions relating to tripods or landscape photography in general, don't hesitate to reach out and ask via our comments below, our contact page, or through our social media channels.
