Comments on: 6 Tips for Epic Low-Light Photos Without a Tripod

By: samar22

samar22 — Thu, 18 May 2023 12:03:07 +0000

I do a lot of very-low-light performance photography. If there’s one rule (not just low-light), GET THE SHOT. You can fix noise in post, you can’t fix blur (even with great tools like Topaz Sharpen AI). So set your shutter and aperture to be what you need, use good technique, and let the ISO go where it needs to.

By: SercemWidziane fotografia

SercemWidziane fotografia — Tue, 16 May 2023 04:23:38 +0000

A man who is constantly looking for knowledge will never stop learning, but his skills are constantly improving, and this translates into professionalism

By: Alain Guillot

Alain Guillot — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 10:31:00 +0000

When I am with friends, I use my friends as a tripod. I tell the to stay steady. I put the camera on their shoulder and I shoot.

By: Brett

Brett — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 13:32:00 +0000

Great article. There is a technique I have used from time to time whereby you turn your head, holding up your arm and digging the camera in reasonably tight to the top your shoulder. Breathe in, exhale softly and just as you reach the end of the exhalation – click, as that is the zen moment of most stillness. It may sound a bit hocus pocus but it really does work to be able to take shots sub 1/60th.

By: Ben Rothfeld

Ben Rothfeld — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 13:10:00 +0000

I’m a big fan of a) tabletop tripods that you can stick in a back pocket and b) improvised tripods. Most lamps (at least in the US) that have a finial (e.g. an ornament on the top) use the same 1/4″ bolt that a tripod uses. So every lamp is a tripod.

Another trick is to buy a short 1/4″ bolt, a washer and a wingnut at a hardware store and then drill a hole in a plastic bottlecap from a water or soft drink bottle. Slot the bolt through the hole (in the top of the cap) with the threads sticking up and the washer between the bolt head and the bottom of the cap. Then use the wingnut to tighten it. Now you have a tripod mount that fits on any water or soda bottle.

By: Charles G. Haacker

Charles G. Haacker — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 13:06:00 +0000

All excellent tips, Kav. I love to work in museums and other venues where tripods are forbidden as a safety hazard (someone might trip), but I carry a “stringpod” (just Google it) in the bottom of my bag or a pocket. It weighs essentially nothing and takes up hardly any room. In the U.S. I have never once been challenged for using it, other than the occasional guard taking an interest in what it was and how it worked. Taken together with your tips, plus steady-shot technology, plus a good hold and proper breathing, you can gain at least a couple of stops. You can make one in 5 minutes for 50 cents U.S.

By: Joel

Joel — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 08:17:00 +0000

I have found that the best way for me is to use high ISO combined with high speed burst, and then merge the photos later to reduce noise. I take a dozen or more images at something like 1/40 with ISO1600+ and combine them later. This doesn’t work for action shots, but is a lifesaver for static scenes. There is a great tutorial on how to stack and merge the images here on DPS: https://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-improve-your-long-exposure-with-photo-stacking/

By: Arthur_P_Dent

Arthur_P_Dent — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 05:34:00 +0000

Another thing that’s helped me is that I have a very limited caffeine intake, which means my hands are a bit steadier.