The Low Light Photography Field Guide

Tripod Management and Techniques

There is a surprisingly big difference in stability between a tripod used well and one set up inefficiently. Tripods obey the laws of mechanics, and the aim in setting up is for maximum stability.

This is largely a quest for rigidity, and there are a number of ways you can help. A tripod’s telescopic legs are more stable when compact than when extended, which means that a tripod at its most compact on a solid raised ledge (or other surface) will be steadier than the same tripod extended from the ground. Equally, when you extend a telescopic leg, extend the thicker sections before the thinner ones.

The surface on which the tripod is erected also matters. Outdoors, beware of sand and any loose conglomerate like ...