It doesn't take much more than a blurry photo, for photographers to realise that this outcome is far from ideal. The traditional method of keeping the camera still has involved the use of a tripod, a cumbersome three-legged contraption weighing more than the camera, lens and flash combined. Innovation has all but done away with the tripod, much to the joy of wedding photographers. Techniques for steadying the camera during wedding photography vary as much as the photographers themselves. Here are some of the popular options wedding photographers choose, to replace the tripod.
A popular alternative to the tripod, is the ubiquitous monopod. It has one leg, and can be fitted with any of the camera support systems available for tripods. Monopods offer a number of advantages. They are very light. Some weigh less than a zoom lens. Titanium or carbon fibre monopods weigh just 300 grams. Saving weight by using a lighter camera support means that wedding photographers can be more agile during shooting. They are able to change vantage points quicker, and respond to photo opportunities sooner, because their equipment weight does not slow them down.
There are some limitations with monopods.
The support of one leg is not as stable as a tripod. Wedding photographers who use a monopod should anticipate their shots very carefully, and try to time low-light image capture for moments when the subject is as still as possible. If the camera shutter calls for a speed slower than 1/30th of a second, subject movement can blur the picture just as easily as not having a proper camera support system in place.
If the photographer has no camera support whatsoever, and there is an unexpected drop in light level, all is not lost. Many churches and chapels have columns throughout the interior which can be used to steady the camera during shooting. Simply rest the lens of the camera against the column and squeeze the shutter gently. If there are no columns available, a pew or chair can be used as a makeshift camera support.
Photographers who resort to shooting without a tripod need to be mindful of movement. Camera movement produces blur, and subject movement produces blur. If a higher ISO setting is selected, the camera calls for a faster shutter speed. The same is true if a wider lens aperture is selected. Use a high ISO and shoot with the lens set at maximum aperture, and you'll be doing everything possible to produce images with no signs of movement.
There is a growing trend among wedding photographers to shoot without using a tripod, and with high ISO images showing less noise, this trend is set to continue.
The tripod has seen its day. Wedding photographers are embracing lightweight, mobile camera equipment that encourages a more responsive style of photography. The clients are loving the images too.
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