Here’s a photo tip you aren’t likely to find anywhere else… how to use a monopod to get better photographs. A monopod (like the tripod) is an essential piece of camera gear.
We all know that using a tripod will give us cleaner, sharper photos. That’s a given. But lugging around a tripod can often be a major challenge–not to mention there will be a lot of times when it is impossible to use one. There just isn’t room.
So, most photographers (at least the ones who are serious enough to want good photos) end up getting a monopod and are greatly disappointed. Generally, it ends up in a closet somewhere never to be seen again.
If you didn’t know, a monopod has the same head and so on as a tripod, but it only has one leg. This design makes it lighter and easier to carry around. It can even be used as a walking stick if you’re trekking through the wild.
But, after one or two uses, most of us come to the realization that it isn’t any steadier than shooting handheld. In fact, with only one leg, it wobbles around so much that it is usually WORSE than shooting handheld. So we toss it in our unused camera gear graveyard and never touch it again.
Big mistake! The monopod is every bit as stable as a tripod; it’s just that few of us know how to properly use it. We use it as a stick with a camera on top. Instead, we should use it like a tripod.
This photo tip can help you rescue your monopod from the closet and turn it into one of your most useful accessories. Since it is easier and lighter to carry than a tripod, you’ll actually use it and create far better photography. For more information, check out the resource box!
About the Author:
Dan Eitreim writes for ontargetphototraining (insert link). He has been a professional photographer in Southern California for over 20 years. His philosophy is that learning photography is easy if you know a few tried and true strategies.
[via PictureCorrect Photography Tips]