Imagine this: You’re hiking through the woods and you hear the sound of falling water. You walk 30 minutes and find a beautiful waterfall. You decide to take one of those cool photos where it looks like the water is running – You know the ones we’re talking about – but you’re a bit winded and golden hour is quickly passing. Do you give up on that perfect shot or do you Macgyver yourself a tripod and get your picture?
Obviously you’ve gotta get that picture!
We’ve put together a few ideas you can use to take a good picture in the field. Keep in mind that all of these suggestions are not perfect. You’ve got to weigh the risk to your camera before you consider any of them. Compact tripods are lightweight and easy to carry. Here are a few to you can add to the equipment you carry so you don’t have to use a stick (#3).
1 - Use Your Coat
Sometimes you can get the shot you want just by arranging your coat (or your pants if needed. You’re in nature, after all. No judgement) around your camera so it’s at the right angle. This method works well if you find a mound, stump or some kind of higher ground.
2 - Use A Tree
Leaning against a tree is useless if you’re shaking. It might take a little of the shake away, but the movement of your hands and the slight rise and fall of your breath might be enough to ruin your shot.
Instead, try to lean the camera lens against the bark of the tree or on a low branch. The friction between the camera and the tree is often enough to take the shake away. It may not be as good as a tripod, but it’ll be good enough to get a nice shot.
3 - Use A Stick
This one isn’t our favorite. If you slip, that thousand dollar camera could be toast. A neck strap is a good precaution here. Risks aside, a solid stick can give you a base to set the camera on and get you the picture you want.
4 - Find A Rock...Or Some Rocks
If you’re lucky enough to be in an area with smooth rocks, you can gather up a few of these and build yourself a solid base to use for your picture. Once again, you run the risk of smashing your camera if you try to build one too high, so keep it low if you decide you use this method.
The smart move is to make sure you bring a tripod with you in case you need to take a long exposure picture, but if you find yourself with a wonderful opportunity and no tripod in sight, some quick thinking and a little ingenuity will help make sure you still come away with a beautiful picture.