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This post is your 9th opportunity to enter Digital Photography For Moms’ contest to win a free copy of Photoshop Elements 7/Premiere Elements 7, courtesy of Adobe! See details at the end of this post.
We all know that tripods are one of the best ways to get super sharp pictures. But how many of us have time to dig the tripod out of the back of the closet when the kids are doing something cute? And who wants to carry a tripod all the time?
Not me!
Pogue’s Photography Tips and Tricks in the New York Times the other day suggested a quick tripod substitute. This article is definitely worth checking out – it has other helpful tips as well.
Apparently, the threads at the top of nearly any lamp (where you screw on the lampshade) fit the tripod socket of most cameras. Who would know that? And I have lamps in every room of the house, unlike that tripod tucked behind the umbrellas in the closet.
I tried and it worked! Unfortunately, I couldn’t take a picture of the setup, since I only have one camera. It does look a bit funny, I admit.
The Mom bonus for this trick is that a couple of my lamps are much shorter than my tripod. Even at its lowest, my tripod is too tall to take pictures of the baby sitting on the floor. But the little lamps raise the camera to a perfect height.
It’s a crazy idea, but it might work in a pinch. Especially for travelling to Grandma’s when you don’t want to pack the tripod along with all the kid gear!
For today’s entry in the Photoshop Elements 7/Premiere Elements 7 giveaway, post a comment about how often you use a tripod. The drawing for the contest will be Monday, December 22 and you can enter once on every post I’ve made during the month of December.
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We just recently used the tripod for taking our christmas card picture. So over all we have used the tripod a total of one time
Great idea with the lamps. I have to remember that next time I’m in need for a tripod.
I need a tripod, I’s use it quite a bit if I had one. I do have one a couple of those tiny ones, but I hardly ever use it. Sometimes for ebay pics I do though.
What a neat idea! Thanks so much for passing that on!
I don’t use my tripod a lot at all, but its one of those things that are really handy to have you need it! Thankfully I picked mine up second hand, so I don’t feel so bad about its lack of regular use:)
Thanks so much for the chance to win!
Sweet tip! There is bound to be a lamp around when you need it. Thanks again!
I most use my tripod when taking family portraits and there is not an extra person to snap the photos. I set up the picture, set the timer, and run in get in the picture. Not the greatest of setups, but it works!
I don’t use my tripod very often. I dug it out of the closet to get a good picture for our holiday cards and used the remote w/ my NIkon.
I find myself wishing for a tripod/monopod often
I haul my tripod around rather frequently and it is always available to me at home. Just this weekend though, I didn’t take it with me and everyone wanted a group photo. We balanced a book on top of the trash can and set cameras on that (with timer) to get our photo. DIY treasure there!
I really don’t use tripods, too tall, too big and bulky… although I found these really neat one that you can secure to handrails or branches, they look like a baby toy, because the tripod legs are bendy, pretty neat, haven’t tried them yet.
I have however used the top of the car, turned over bowls, books, and other hard flat secure surfaces to set the camera on.
I don’t use one very often, but if I need one, I use the one my grandmother gave me…twenty years ago. haha! I have since bought one for my husband, but I still go back to that old one.
my tripod is hiding in the closet supporting nothing more than a couple of dust bunnies at the moment. or sometimes my kids take the box out, and then they sit on it… so it supports them sometimes too! the lamp idea is very clever!
I am ashamed to admit that I don’t use my tripod. It’s packed away somewhere. This is a great idea!
The big tripod once or twice a year. The little one more often, but not that often.
Don’t have a tripod so I don’t usually use one, but I’m gonna have to try out the lamp trick.
This tip is pure genius! Thanks for sharing it!
What a slick idea! My tripod is tucked so far back in the closet I can’t find it.