How to make a tripod when you don’t have one…
September 18th, 2008 by Rebecca (Ramblings by Reba)
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A tripod, which provides a “steady” way to mount your camera, is an excellent piece of equipment for photographers to have. But let’s face it, most of us have enough to carry around without adding a bulky tripod to the mix.
So here are three things you can do to make a tripod when you don’t have one.
(The photos in which I appear were taken by my husband on a vacation last October.)
Brace yourself.
Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your elbows “locked” at your side will give you a much steadier shot.
I took this photo in a cave. You’ll notice the other person taking a photo is bracing in a similar way. 
Use a flat surface and rest a body part or the camera on it.
This is especially helpful if you’re using a long shutter speed (such as when you’re photographing in low light).
I took the photo below without a tripod in low light with a shutter speed of 1 second. One second doesn’t seem like that long, but it’s an eternity if you’re trying to hold a camera absolutely still.
I would NEVER have gotten that result if I’d not been able to rest my camera on a bar in front of the falls. The bar was rounded, so I still had to hang onto it, but it helped tremendously.
Lean against something.
Sometimes being flat worn out makes it hard to get a good shot. So take advantage of the column next to you in order to give yourself the extra boost to get the shot you need.
When she’s not taking photographs, Rebecca blogs at Ramblings by Reba.
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