Larry Saxton

Everyone agrees that the best tool to avoid shake and get the sharpest possible photos is a good, sturdy tripod. So anyone who is serious about photography should always use a tripod, right? Not really.

There are many reasons not to have a tripod, especially when traveling. Weight and bulk are the main issue. Time is another. Setting up and taking down a tripod takes time. Your travel companion or tour group, if not dedicated to photography, may not appreciate waiting for you to set up a tripod. And a tripod marks you as possibly a professional with expensive equipment that may attract thieves or security asking for a permit or fee. And then there are locations where a tripod is simply not allowed.

So with your three-legged friend home in a closet, what do you do? What tripod alternatives give adequate stability and quality without the weight and bulk? There are many techniques and devices out there to reduce or eliminate shake during long exposures. Which ones work for you and what methods do you use? These could include DIY devices like stringpods, products like minipods with flexible legs, suction cup mounts, clamps, adhesive backed “stick to anything” mounts, Velcro strapped mounts and so on. I have my own solution to the problem and would like to hear other thoughts.

Wendy2 Loc: California

Sometimes places that don't allow tripods will consider a monopod. What about higher ISO?

Wahawk Loc: NE IA

I always carry a rope/string tripod on my camera bag.
The clips fasten onto belt loops on my jeans and the center point fastens to the tripod mount on ANY camera.
Your hand under the camera pulling it up, plus the 2 attachment point essentially make it a tripod that doesn't have to touch the ground. Works very nicely for that extra stability, but of course doesn't match a real tripod.

Elfstop

A fast lens.

wannabe Loc: Baton Rouge Louisiana

Thats funny!!!! Im new to this so i have no ideas but thats funnyLOL. Although i do like the strap to the belt loops!! It will work if used right.

Wahawk Loc: NE IA

Works very nicely once you get onto using it, but doesn't completely replace the use of MonoPod or TriPod.

Annie_Girl Loc: It's none of your business

Little bean bag.

Kestrel1029 Loc: Philadelphia, PA

I second the bean bag. They actually make one that has a tripod screw in it to hold your camera. A gorillapod is another idea, It's very small.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

In a situation like that, I look for something solid to lean against. Leaning up against a wall can provide a very steady base for shooting.

oldtool2 Loc: South Jersey

Trees come in very handy also.

Jim D

acutance Loc: New Hampshire

Grape Ape

A bean bag.....or a bag of rice works nicely as well.

Tarzan Loc: Brazil

I used to hunt big game years ago. (There are hunters and there are animal killers, the difference is abyssal.) To a true hunter, precise shot placement is of paramount importance, and I use some rifle shooting stances for photos these days.

Keep at least on elbow in contact with your chest.

Breath deeply 2 or 3 times, exhale half of your lungs contents, hold breath, fine focus and squeeze the trigger, err...button.

Lean to something solid, or sit on one of your heels. (it makes a tripod - one foot, one foot tip and one knee, elbow in touch of the other knee), or just squat.

DaveHam Loc: Reading UK

Just a comment but this article looks like another huge generalisation. Landscape, architecture, tripods are still pretty much a requirement if you want to capture detail at 100%. If modern equipment and vibration reduction technology was so good we would all be taking pictures that are free of motion blur. As we are clearly not the alternative is the tripod.

We experimented with a 'shooting butt' similar to a shoulder brace using a remote to trigger the camera. This was quite successful but still at 100% motion blur was a problem, hence we lumber ourselves with tripods most of the time.

I'd rather cart a tripod around even if it takes up 2 kilos of my baggage allowance and get the shot I want than open the images and find I had not been as stable as I should have been.

krispix Loc: London - UK

You experience this sort of restriction in many Cathedrals and tourist locations. If I was a cynic I might suggest it is to encourage you to buy their photographs at the Gift Shop.
I have fixed a ¼" threaded post onto a walking stick which forms a fairly good monopod.