STEP BY STEP TRIPOD TECHNIQUES

Get more out of your trusty three-legged friend with these top tips

01 KEEP ON TOP OF MAINTENANCE

Pro-level tripods usually come with tools or hex keys. These are to nip up any moving parts that may come loose over time. Keep them tightened to make sure the legs don’t start slipping during exposures.

03 CHANGE THE LEG ANGLES

The legs of photographic tripods aren’t braced together like they are for video ones. You can usually adjust the leg angles individually, making it much easier to get low to the ground by spreading them out.

02 TRY OUT NEW FEET

Some tripods have different feet options. Spikes can sometimes be revealed by twisting the rubber feet, others like these ‘Stilletoz’ from 3 Legged Thing, which dig into rocky coastal terrain, have to be screwed on.

04 EXTEND THE THICKEST LEGS FIRST

The thinnest leg sections and the centre column are the most wobble-prone parts of any tripod, so extend the thickest legs sections at the top first and only use them as a last resort if you need the extra height.

05 WEIGH IT DOWN

The wind can cause your tripod to wobble, which means blurry shots, especially if it’s a lightweight option like a carbon-fibre one. However, you can always try hanging your heavy backpack (or bag of rocks) on the tripod to make it more stable to eliminate those shaky shots.

06 RINSE OFF SALT WATER!

If you’ve been shooting at the coast, be very careful of salt water as it’s the enemy of many tripods. If left on your tripod it can really cake the legs up, causing rust and corrosion that leaves the tripod destined for the trash as you can’t extend the legs properly, so be sure to rinse with tap water.

07 STOP YOUR STICKS SINKING

Setting up a tripod on sandy shores can be problematic, as the feet have a habit of being swallowed and sinking in them, which is no good for your long exposures! A good tip is to place paper plates underneath the feet to spread out the weight and stop them sinking.