I don't carry my tripod unless I am specifically out to take photos or I need it for "looks". It usually gets in the way so I don't like to bring it.

I got decent image quality, but it's all crooked, because I balanced the camera in the bush and settled for whatever position it would stay stable. High ISO is not an option on this camera if I don't want it to look like a sand paper.

Any suggestions on what to do in those moments?

There are mini pocket-sized tripods that might come in handy and they're usually fairly cheap. Well, they're cheaper than buying a new camera body or an new lens with image stabilization (IS/VC/OS depending on brand).

Post process the image to remove noise (lightroom, noise ninja, neat image, photoscape all have noise reduction that is fairly good).

Post process and convert to black and white. I don't mind noise in B&W photos, it can give a film grain appearance. And if the image is strong enough, the composition, focus, and exposure can compensate for noise.

Stack several high ISO images. Read this thread:
http://www.uer.ca/...=1&threadid=119651

Mini pocket sized tripods are fairly annoying to use and set-up though.

And stacking several high ISO pictures would be a b*tch to do if you didn't take the shots originally on a tripod.

It depends on what set-up you have. If you can lean on something that will obviously help.

However, you can get away with slower shutter speeds with a shorter focal length. And if you have the option of LCD/monitor vs viewfinder, I find that it's much more stable if you use the viewfinder as you can press the camera against your face for extra stability.

One last tip that I've got is to shoot in the highest continuous shutter that you can and hold the shutter down for a second or two. There'll be a lot of duds but hopefully one of them in the set would be sharp. (I've taken sharp hand held shots as slow as 1/4 with a 16mm lens using some of these techniques.)

My camera has movement compensation but for exposures longer that a couple of seconds it still shows up blurry. Thankfully it also takes good low-light photos with quick shutter speeds that can be enhanced in post processing. If you are exploring with a buddy, you can both lean against a wall, take a deep breath and use his/her shoulder to help stabilize the camera. Obviously not the ideal but it can work for 2-3 seconds with almost no movement.

I have also found objects that I can set the camera on when I havent had a tripod handy. Old buckets are my favorite but just about anything can be found at a location to set the camera on for longer exposures. Bringing a tripod is a pain in the ass - mine weighs about 7 lbs but more often than not its worth it!

I'd urge you to reconsider your stance on tripods. I got one from walmart for like 12 dollars that folds up small enough to go in my pocket (it pokes out the top) and expands to around 4.5 feet. I generally try to do as much as I can without it, but for some shots it's just worth the 30 seconds of set up and take down.

Also, it only weighs like a pound at most.

Posted by TD I'd urge you to reconsider your stance on tripods. I got one from walmart for like 12 dollars that folds up small enough to go in my pocket (it pokes out the top) and expands to around 4.5 feet. I generally try to do as much as I can without it, but for some shots it's just worth the 30 seconds of set up and take down. Also, it only weighs like a pound at most.

Do you have a link to it? (I had a look on the website and didn't find anything that fit the description.)

I find though that cheap tripods are generally not worth it. You're sacrificing stability for price and for heavier cameras (i.e. DSLRs) you need a decent tripod to prevent it from moving and/or falling over in the wind.

One of these?

Consider a monopod. They're small and easy to tote around. Walmart has a vivitar that works fine on their site for under $20. And you can bump the ISO up a bit to help out with exposure. I don't know what camera you have bit if it's a DSLR, consider wider aperture. You can get a 35mm Nikon w/ f/1.8 for a good price and they're fantastic in low light.

I just sucked it up and got a tiny pocketable tripod. It's so flimsy and can barely handle anything over a moderate sized compact camera, but it's a huge improvement over nothing.

why not just make a shoulder strap for your current tripod, just did this myself and am very pleased with the portability now!

Posted by Deuterium I got decent image quality, but it's all crooked, because I balanced the camera in the bush and settled for whatever position it would stay stable. https://farm1.stat...0_d1547741bb_c.jpg

If your biggest problem truly is crooked lines because of what you don't have a reliable surface, then just shoot wider (or further back) and rotate and crop your image in post.

If the bulk/weight of a tripod is truly a concern, you can fashion a make-shift tripod from long lengths of cord or rope. See this: http://lifehacker....iy-string-tripod

^I don't really feel like that's very practical. even if you use both your feet and tie off, there's still plenty of room for movement.

I'm glad you decided to get a tripod, I don't think there's really any way around it to be honest.

On the positive side, I like the really close to surface perspective I can get with the tiny tripod that I can not get with a regular tripod.

^You can actually get a similar effect with some of the larger tripods as well like the mefotos and manfrottos. I have a manfrotto that moves in all sorts of beautiful ways. I think the tripod in this picture is the same one I have:



If you like that angle you might want to consider something that gives you that option if you ever want to invest in a larger tripod.

I have a regular tripod, a mini tripod, and one of those octopus jobbies, but managed to forget them all on a recent trip to New York. Went back to basics:
Set the camera to self-timer 2 seconds and hold camera braced against an unmoving railing or whatever, press button and hold steady.

Not perfect, but it works.

^I've done similar things and it'll work in a pinch, but why bother dragging your camera with you if you're only going to be frustrated by it's limits and get sub-par results?

Usually if I bring my camera somewhere, unless it's bright and beautiful outside (and even sometimes when it is) my tripod comes with. I've just experienced too many frustrating situations where I needed a tripod and didn't have one. A tripod is one of those things that is far better to have and not need than need and not have. I even dragged mine with me backpacking while suffering severe elevation sickness and I didn't use it once that trip. That's an extra 5lbs to carry that I never used and if I had to pack again for that trip I wouldn't leave home without it.

If you're just getting snapshots, then I'd say don't worry about it. However, if you're out to actually photograph something, then it seems silly to limit yourself by not bringing essential gear.

Just my two cents.

The mini tripod has been way awesome. I need something a little bit bigger, but still pocket able.

This tutorial is an oldie but a goodie. Ex military guy talking about using rifle technique for photography. It won't be as good as a tripod, but is pretty useful in a pinch

http://www.pentaxf.../introduction.html