What are the advantages of photographing handheld? (Page 4): It surprises that folks shoot macro handheld. I have shot at least 1/2 million close-ups shot and never shot one handheld.

John Gerlach Loc: Island Park, Idaho

speters wrote:

I think you already answered the question in your introduction, both have, of course advantages of their own. I for myself shoot any kind of action, sports, animals, BIF, etc., as well as most macro's hand held and put the camera on a support for stationary subjects, that's all there's to it, simple and easy!

It surprises that folks shoot macro handheld. I have shot at least 1/2 million close-ups shot and never shot one handheld. Especially now that I stack so much, and use flash for various reasons, I don't see how I could work handheld into it. For some sports and street photography I totally get handheld though.

John Gerlach Loc: Island Park, Idaho

billbarcus wrote:

There certainly is a vast amount of photography experience and talent posted here in response to the post by John Gerlach. As with many folks here, I too remember the days of Kodachrome 64, Fuji Velvia 25 and 50 asa, et.al. The question of using HH or the tripod raises some interesting view points and opinions, and it seems that the tripod got 'the short end of the stick' in this round (pun intended).

So, I'd like to throw my two cents into the pot here. I am self-taught and started shooting landscapes and wildlife back in the early 1980s. I was quite fortunate a few years later to begin shooting and writing wildlife articles for Arizona Highways Magazine. At the time, I owned an older, battered 1968 Chevy 4x4 pickup, a Minolta 35mm, a 50mm kit lens, and the most inexpensive, yet best 500mm I could afford, along with a Bogen/Manfrotto tripod. That combo and I covered a lot of Arizona's backcountry.

Many of the assignments were a one-time venture, and the need to 'get it right' the first time was paramount. There usually weren't any second chances! I learned very early-on that the use of a tripod was an absolute necessity; 95% of the photography was done using that tripod. I later graduated to shooting landscapes with medium format cameras - the first, a Mamiya Rb67 that didn't have a built-in light meter. This camera taught me what the word, 'bracketing' meant. Film for that camera wasn't cheap, and I had to get it right the first time out, as I couldn't afford the luxury of burning money for film in those days.

The bottom line is this: In the photographic world I grew up with a tripod. I wish I had put a quarter in the piggy bank for every mile I trekked with that tripod slung over my shoulder. Today, I still have that tripod and use it 90% of the time for all photo work, BIF and eagles.

Well, as the popular, September Song goes ... "I've lost one tooth, and I walk a little lame." The years have slowed me down and I can't hike the backcountry like I once was able, but when I do, that old tripod is still slung over my shoulder. I've retired the Minolta years ago, and now shoot digital exclusively. My present setup is Nikon D810 w/battery pack, coupled to the Nikon 500mm F/4G, which weighs in at 8 1/2 pounds. I would guess that the entire setup, with a Manfrotto gimbal, weighs in at around 20+ pounds.

I never leave home without it. Without the tripod I would never get many keepers. Much of my shooting is premeditated and I know where my subjects are to be found. Taking the tripod and setup from the shoulder is second nature ... I can flop down and adjust the legs instantly and get to the business at hand without any hesitation or fumbling. Many wildlife photographers that aren't familiar with their tripods will end up in a cussing fit trying to get it set up, which usually ends with the target subjects taking flight or otherwise fleeing - and this is the number one reason why so many photographers bash tripod use ... they just don't spend enough time using it.

So, anyone out there in UHH land that's a determined HH shooter, maybe you've got a Gitzo or a RRS collecting dust in the closet, and maybe you'd like to part with it for 'a song. Ha! I'll take it off your hands ... 'been looking to upgrade.

Bill Barcus

There certainly is a vast amount of photography ex... (show quote)

Very good Bill! You sound a lot like me. I am glad so many are pointing out where they like handheld, though I am still a tripod user whenever I can. Fortunately, life has been kind to me and even though I am on Medicare now, I can still toss 80 lb bales of hay around when I need to, so camera gear weight is never an issue for me. Though, I favor solid support, I want to be fair to the handheld crowd and stress situations where both handheld and a tripod are really the best choices. For example, I do a ton of wildlife photos (was a former wildlife biologist) and I get many action shots because I am on a Wimberley mount and following my target with a single AF point on its head for up to ten consecutive minutes waiting for it to do something "fun". I know I can't hold the gear up and even be remotely steady for that long of time. Tripods let me get the shot. There is no time to see the duck begin to rear up, raise you camera, get the AF point on it, and fired as it always happened by then.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Seeing as a lot of my photographs are of Flower Close-ups and many with Focus Stacking, a tripod is a necessity.

AJFRED Loc: Alabama

Interesting article. One more handheld spot you can add is aboard a motor vessel of any particular size. The engine vibration through the vessel hull will cause you grief with a tripod. I learned this on an Antarctic cruise aboard a smaller ship, capacity about 150. Even on larger cruise ships, this is still an issue.

williejoha

I do all BIF handheld. Even at the Bosque I found the Gimbal most of the time more trouble then benefit.
WJH

btbg

I carry a tripod with me everywhere, but for work seldom use it.

Here is a partial list of situations where a tripod is something of a disadvantage.
Street photography
photojournalism
covering sports events such as auto races motocross, etc. (Tripods are not only too slow to move from one part of the track to another, they are often banned)
photographing news conferences
museums (usually not allowed)
shooting candids of people
action sports such as surfing, rock climbing, mountain climbing, underwater photography (anything that may need to be shot from in the water or on the side of a cliff)
photographing from boats or moving vehicles, such as trains
I also prefer hand held for birds in flight or air shows
shooting in confined spaces such as at car shows
Like has been stated before for mobility
Some travel photography
Whenever photography is not the primary reason for being at the event or activity (for example when traveling with family I still want to photograph what we see, but it would inconvenience everyone else on the trip if I stopped to set up a tripod every time I saw something photographic)

This is not a complete list. There are other locations and events where a tripod just doesn't work or is so inconvenient as to be impractical.

Bill P

[quote=John Gerlach]It surprises that folks shoot macro handheld. I have shot at least 1/2 million close-ups shot and never shot one handheld."

Try it sometime, you might like it.

"Especially now that I stack so much, and use flash for various reasons, I don't see how I could work handheld into it".

For focus stacking a tripod might be required, but a flash generally takes away the need.

anotherview Loc: California

You may wish to review the comment by Ken Rockwell on the demise of the tripod:

Digital Killed My Tripod: https://kenrockwell.com/tech/digital-killed-my-tripod.htm

John Gerlach wrote:

I have been ask to write about the merits of using a tripod and shooting handheld. Both have merits for sure, and both have drawbacks. I learned to shoot nature photos in the early seventies from Larry West and John Shaw in Michigan. Both were quality photographers who stressed how to shoot quality images. I paid attention, and it worked for me. I use a tripod or another solid platform whenever I can. That often is a bean bag on my car window or in the roof hatch of a safari vehicle. That means I am on a solid support 95% of the time. But, there are times when even I admit handheld shooting is better, or the only way to work the subjects. Photographing snow geese almost directly overhead at Bosque comes to mind as I have never been able to shoot a gimbal head directly up due to hitting the tripod legs. Therefore, I have compiled a list of places where handheld could be an answer, though, not always. Well, on a rocking boat, I think handheld is the only answer so your body can absorb some of the motion. If you have an example where handheld is really helpful, please pass it along. I already have many situations where a tripod is the better answer, but I want to be far to both ways of doing things.

Oh, by the way, I just posted my article on how I shoot sharp wildlife photos on my blog.

Advantages of Handheld Photography vs Tripod or Stable Support Photography
1. Don’t need to spend the money on a tripod or head
2. Don’t have to carry the weight of the gear
3. Quicker to shoot handheld than mounting your camera on a tripod
4. Easier to shoot in deep snow where the base is not stable for a tripod
5. Easier to shoot when you must shoot straight down from a viewpoint where it would be difficult to get a tripod into position without it falling over the edge.
6. Better handheld to shoot from a boat that is bouncing in the swells
7. Better for shooting birds overhead
8. Quicker to try different compositions
9. Short lenses and bright light and image stabilization make it easier to shoot sharp images handheld now
10. Easier to track moving targets handheld, especially when close and moving fast.

I have been ask to write about the merits of using... (show quote)

aellman Loc: Boston MA

John Gerlach wrote:

I have been ask to write about the merits of using a tripod and shooting handheld. Both have merits for sure, and both have drawbacks. I learned to shoot nature photos in the early seventies from Larry West and John Shaw in Michigan. Both were quality photographers who stressed how to shoot quality images. I paid attention, and it worked for me. I use a tripod or another solid platform whenever I can. That often is a bean bag on my car window or in the roof hatch of a safari vehicle. That means I am on a solid support 95% of the time. But, there are times when even I admit handheld shooting is better, or the only way to work the subjects. Photographing snow geese almost directly overhead at Bosque comes to mind as I have never been able to shoot a gimbal head directly up due to hitting the tripod legs. Therefore, I have compiled a list of places where handheld could be an answer, though, not always. Well, on a rocking boat, I think handheld is the only answer so your body can absorb some of the motion. If you have an example where handheld is really helpful, please pass it along. I already have many situations where a tripod is the better answer, but I want to be far to both ways of doing things.

Oh, by the way, I just posted my article on how I shoot sharp wildlife photos on my blog.

Advantages of Handheld Photography vs Tripod or Stable Support Photography
1. Don’t need to spend the money on a tripod or head
2. Don’t have to carry the weight of the gear
3. Quicker to shoot handheld than mounting your camera on a tripod
4. Easier to shoot in deep snow where the base is not stable for a tripod
5. Easier to shoot when you must shoot straight down from a viewpoint where it would be difficult to get a tripod into position without it falling over the edge.
6. Better handheld to shoot from a boat that is bouncing in the swells
7. Better for shooting birds overhead
8. Quicker to try different compositions
9. Short lenses and bright light and image stabilization make it easier to shoot sharp images handheld now
10. Easier to track moving targets handheld, especially when close and moving fast.

I have been ask to write about the merits of using... (show quote)

The main advantage of hand-holding for me is the speed at which I can define what I want and shoot it, particularly applicable to moving subjects. When I want to give a shot of a non-moving subject some extra thought, I use a tripod and try out different compositions, focal lengths, settings, etc. >Alan

BDHender

Hand held is better any time I have less than 10 seconds to get the shot.

Charles 46277 Loc: Fulton County, KY

John Gerlach wrote:

I have been ask to write about the merits of using a tripod and shooting handheld. Both have merits for sure, and both have drawbacks. I learned to shoot nature photos in the early seventies from Larry West and John Shaw in Michigan. Both were quality photographers who stressed how to shoot quality images. I paid attention, and it worked for me. I use a tripod or another solid platform whenever I can. That often is a bean bag on my car window or in the roof hatch of a safari vehicle. That means I am on a solid support 95% of the time. But, there are times when even I admit handheld shooting is better, or the only way to work the subjects. Photographing snow geese almost directly overhead at Bosque comes to mind as I have never been able to shoot a gimbal head directly up due to hitting the tripod legs. Therefore, I have compiled a list of places where handheld could be an answer, though, not always. Well, on a rocking boat, I think handheld is the only answer so your body can absorb some of the motion. If you have an example where handheld is really helpful, please pass it along. I already have many situations where a tripod is the better answer, but I want to be far to both ways of doing things.

Oh, by the way, I just posted my article on how I shoot sharp wildlife photos on my blog.

Advantages of Handheld Photography vs Tripod or Stable Support Photography
1. Don’t need to spend the money on a tripod or head
2. Don’t have to carry the weight of the gear
3. Quicker to shoot handheld than mounting your camera on a tripod
4. Easier to shoot in deep snow where the base is not stable for a tripod
5. Easier to shoot when you must shoot straight down from a viewpoint where it would be difficult to get a tripod into position without it falling over the edge.
6. Better handheld to shoot from a boat that is bouncing in the swells
7. Better for shooting birds overhead
8. Quicker to try different compositions
9. Short lenses and bright light and image stabilization make it easier to shoot sharp images handheld now
10. Easier to track moving targets handheld, especially when close and moving fast.

I have been ask to write about the merits of using... (show quote)

Handheld is better when shooting out from a subway train (or any vehicle). Handheld is also better for photojournalism as war correspondent during battles. In both of these a tripod is a serious problem. If you are attacked by a dog and want pictures for the law suit, setting up a tripod is not recommended.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

John Gerlach wrote:

I have been ask to write about the merits of using a tripod and shooting handheld. Both have merits for sure, and both have drawbacks. I learned to shoot nature photos in the early seventies from Larry West and John Shaw in Michigan. Both were quality photographers who stressed how to shoot quality images. I paid attention, and it worked for me. I use a tripod or another solid platform whenever I can. That often is a bean bag on my car window or in the roof hatch of a safari vehicle. That means I am on a solid support 95% of the time. But, there are times when even I admit handheld shooting is better, or the only way to work the subjects. Photographing snow geese almost directly overhead at Bosque comes to mind as I have never been able to shoot a gimbal head directly up due to hitting the tripod legs. Therefore, I have compiled a list of places where handheld could be an answer, though, not always. Well, on a rocking boat, I think handheld is the only answer so your body can absorb some of the motion. If you have an example where handheld is really helpful, please pass it along. I already have many situations where a tripod is the better answer, but I want to be far to both ways of doing things.

Oh, by the way, I just posted my article on how I shoot sharp wildlife photos on my blog.

Advantages of Handheld Photography vs Tripod or Stable Support Photography
1. Don’t need to spend the money on a tripod or head
2. Don’t have to carry the weight of the gear
3. Quicker to shoot handheld than mounting your camera on a tripod
4. Easier to shoot in deep snow where the base is not stable for a tripod
5. Easier to shoot when you must shoot straight down from a viewpoint where it would be difficult to get a tripod into position without it falling over the edge.
6. Better handheld to shoot from a boat that is bouncing in the swells
7. Better for shooting birds overhead
8. Quicker to try different compositions
9. Short lenses and bright light and image stabilization make it easier to shoot sharp images handheld now
10. Easier to track moving targets handheld, especially when close and moving fast.

I have been ask to write about the merits of using... (show quote)

John, similar to compositions would be perspectives. I realize tripods are made to be moved, but once positioned, do not lend themselves to small movements in position. That includes up and down similar to your shooting over head. As you indicated, anything needing true speed in changing composition and/or perspective will not easily lend itself to using a tripod.

John Gerlach Loc: Island Park, Idaho

lamiaceae wrote:

Seeing as a lot of my photographs are of Flower Close-ups and many with Focus Stacking, a tripod is a necessity.

Completely agree with the tripod for close-ups. It also becomes quite necessary when I am by myself - and that is most of the time - shooting landscapes in dim light where I must hold my flash some distance from the camera to get the sidelight or backlight I desire. The Canon 600 radio flash with the ST-E3-RT radio controller is awesome since my flash can fire my camera from quite a distance. Look for the REL button on the flash to do it.

no12mo

Great photograph... The info is there in the EXIF data

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

John Gerlach wrote:

I have been ask to write about the merits of using a tripod and shooting handheld. Both have merits for sure, and both have drawbacks. I learned to shoot nature photos in the early seventies from Larry West and John Shaw in Michigan. Both were quality photographers who stressed how to shoot quality images. I paid attention, and it worked for me. I use a tripod or another solid platform whenever I can. That often is a bean bag on my car window or in the roof hatch of a safari vehicle. That means I am on a solid support 95% of the time. But, there are times when even I admit handheld shooting is better, or the only way to work the subjects. Photographing snow geese almost directly overhead at Bosque comes to mind as I have never been able to shoot a gimbal head directly up due to hitting the tripod legs. Therefore, I have compiled a list of places where handheld could be an answer, though, not always. Well, on a rocking boat, I think handheld is the only answer so your body can absorb some of the motion. If you have an example where handheld is really helpful, please pass it along. I already have many situations where a tripod is the better answer, but I want to be far to both ways of doing things.

Oh, by the way, I just posted my article on how I shoot sharp wildlife photos on my blog.

Advantages of Handheld Photography vs Tripod or Stable Support Photography
1. Don’t need to spend the money on a tripod or head
2. Don’t have to carry the weight of the gear
3. Quicker to shoot handheld than mounting your camera on a tripod
4. Easier to shoot in deep snow where the base is not stable for a tripod
5. Easier to shoot when you must shoot straight down from a viewpoint where it would be difficult to get a tripod into position without it falling over the edge.
6. Better handheld to shoot from a boat that is bouncing in the swells
7. Better for shooting birds overhead
8. Quicker to try different compositions
9. Short lenses and bright light and image stabilization make it easier to shoot sharp images handheld now
10. Easier to track moving targets handheld, especially when close and moving fast.

I have been ask to write about the merits of using... (show quote)

Running down a road in Costa Rica anticipating where the monkeys in the trees are heading to and shooting almost straight up.

Finding a moving moose and calf crossing a small pond and having to go through the brush to get a shot.

Photographing grizzly bears in a river at Katmai National Park in Alaska and wanting to be mobile in the water, full waders on, while taking photographs.

Otherwise, tripod works great, even for most bird shots.