Nature Photography Photo Workshop

5.3. CAMERA ACCESSORIES

Besides a good camera and lens, a number of simple, inexpensive accessories make your nature photography easier and help you make better pictures. This list is not exhaustive; certainly you'll come across other small items that make a big difference. However, I suggest that you resist the urge to have every possible gadget in your bag. Your trips will be more enjoyable and your photography more productive if you carry only what you need.

5.3.1. TRIPOD AND HEAD

A good tripod is very often a necessity to produce good nature photos. Although shooting handheld allows freedom of movement and spontaneous working with the scene, in most cases you need a tripod to make sharp pictures. Making pictures in nature, you'll often be working with longer shutter speeds than you can effectively shoot handheld. Using a tripod is the single biggest factor in producing the sharpest possible pictures.

Look for a tripod that extends to a height that is comfortable for you and also collapses to a small enough size to be convenient. Also, you want a tripod that allows you to get down very low when necessary. For this purpose I prefer a tripod with a pivoting center column.

I highly recommend carbon fiber tripods. They are lighter and stronger and dampen vibrations better than aluminum. As for brands, Induro (see 5-21) and Gitzo are good choices.

Figure 5-20. ABOUT THIS PHOTO Nikkor AF-S 70-200 VR lens with hood attached. ©2010 Daniel Stainer.

Figure 5-21. ABOUT THIS PHOTO ...