As a nature photographer, you have the great outdoors for subject and inspiration. You may focus on various topics, such as wildlife, landscapes, birds, tiny insects, and flowers and plants. All you have to do is pack your gear and spend as much time as possible in the wild. However, the packing step is essential. Once you are at the location, you have to manage with whatever you bring in your backpack. So, don’t leave the tripod at home because it is vital for taking good nature photographs. To avoid carrying the wrong one, here is what you need to know about tripods and tripod heads for nature photography.
Why You Need a Tripod for Nature Photography
A tripod is designed for stabilizing the camera to help you avoid camera shake blur. The risk increases when using telephoto or macro lenses or setting slow shutter speeds. You might blur your photos while hand-holding the camera, regardless of the photographic genre you’re into. However, taking pictures of nature has a higher risk of doing so because you may be tired after a long and difficult hike, your hands may be cold, the gear is often heavy, and you may not have enough light to shoot at a fast shutter speed.
Another reason why you need a tripod for nature shots is to avoid missing the focus. When you use a narrow depth of field, as in macro photography, the slightest camera move may alter the focus point. For example, instead of having the insect’s eye in focus as intended, you have a random area near the eye in focus. Add the fact that your subject may move too (e.g., a sudden breeze moving a flower’s petals), and you’ll understand why stabilizing the camera is vital to nature photography.
How to Use a Tripod When Photographing Nature
As a nature photographer, you have to be creative and adaptable. Nature is unpredictable in terms of what subjects and conditions it provides at any particular moment. You have to adapt to the weather, terrain, sunlight, and your subject.
The primary use of a tripod is to stabilize the camera for the longer exposures you sometimes have to use. Often you cannot shoot with wider apertures because of lens limitations, or increase the ISO values more without suffering a poor overall image quality. So, shooting with a little slower shutter speed than you normally would can be the best solution. Use the tripod on overcast days and during the golden and blue hours or when the subject is in the shade.
Beyond Stability
The tripod is also helpful for stabilizing the camera at heights and angles that aren’t comfortable for you, which basically is every other position than standing with the camera at your eye level. Being freed from the camera’s load and camera-shake stress gives you more artistic freedom, like taking multiple shots in the same setup, as in focus stacking and HDR photography. You can position the camera above the subject for a symmetric composition or use the sky as background by placing the camera below the subject.
You may also want to use a tripod whenever you shoot in a stationary setup. Wildlife and bird photographers, for example, rely on a sturdy tripod to release them from the heavy load of the ultra-telephoto lens they have to hold for hours in the same position. Just lifting the lens up when an animal approaches won’t do it, as you might scare the animal away from the sudden movement. You may also appreciate a tripod when photographing a landscape at different times of the day.
How to Choose a Tripod and Tripod Head for Nature Photography
When buying a tripod, look for general features that benefit nature photography. This includes specific features for macro, wildlife, or landscape photography. Generally, a nature photographer wants a tripod to provide stability on any surface, be lightweight, have a robust build, and offer versatility. In other words, you want the tripod to have a good grip on grass, rock, mud, or snow and be resistant to rain, dirt, and wind.
Overall Build
In general, I find that carbon fiber tripods help me more than aluminum ones because they are lighter (they can weigh up to 1 kg less than an aluminum one), more resistant, and don’t get too cold, so my hands don’t freeze. However, they are also more expensive. Whether you prefer legs with buckles instead of twist locks is a matter of preference. Buckles are sometimes faster to adjust and more resistant to dirt and sand. However, for me, there are more important features when choosing the right tripod.
Maximum Load
However, there are other things to consider. The first one is the tripod’s maximum load. If you carry a heavy telephoto lens for bird and wildlife photography, choose a tripod to support it. Add the weight of the camera body and accessories. Also, for macro photography, it helps if the tripod has a rotatable central column allowing you to photograph your subject directly from above or to reach further into a bush, where the tripod legs cannot go.
How Many Sections?
Another feature you should consider is how many sections the leg has. A 4-section tripod, for example, gets shorter and fits better in the backpack. It is also more versatile because it provides more heights from which to shoot. On the other hand, models with more leg sections are more fragile and may have a shorter lifespan.
Tripod heads
Tripods often come with a ball head, which is the most versatile type of tripod head. A ball head allows you to move the camera freely on the surface of a ball and lock it in position once you are satisfied with the angle. It’s a good choice for photographing stationary subjects that gives you the time to set and lock the tripod head. So if you prefer photographing landscapes or flowers, you are fine with a tripod ball head.
However, if you prefer photographing wildlife and birds, a gimbal head is more useful. A gimbal head doesn’t need to be locked in before shooting. Therefore, you can move the camera to track a moving subject, like a bird, without affecting the stability. This is ideal for panning while using heavy telephoto lenses. Note that a gimbal head is larger and heavier than other tripod head types.
Tripods and Tripod Heads to Consider
There are many tripods and tripod heads on the market, and every year, new models appear. However, base your decision on what you need, not on what’s new, and look for high-quality products that will stay with you longer. Here are a few options to consider:
Manfrotto Befree GT XPRO 4-Section Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod including Ball Head
Manfrotto Befree GT XPRO checks many boxes. The tripod weighs 3.88 lbs (1.76 kg) and supports up to 26.45 lbs (12 kg). It’s made of carbon fiber, features a central column that rotates at 90 degrees for ground-level or overhead shooting and can go from a minimum height of 3.54″ (8.99 cm) to a maximum height of 63.78″ (162 cm). It comes with a versatile MH496 ball head.
The leg locks are easy to set up and stay out of the way, allowing you to capture a great shot. I also like that Manfrotto Befree GT XPRO collapses to a length of 16.9″ (43 cm), which means it fits perfectly in a backpack.
Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB 100 3-Section Aluminum-Alloy Tripod
An aluminum tripod is heavier than a carbon fiber one. However, Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB 100 compensates for its 5.38 lbs (2.44 kg) weight with a maximum height of 68.125″ (173 cm), an innovative multi-angle central column that rotates 180 degrees, quick-flip leg locks, and spiked rubber feet for harsh terrains. Legs adjust to 25, 50, and 80-degree angles. The 263AB comes with a fluid-like ball head. The load capacity is only 15.4 lbs (7 kg).
Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB 100 is a good choice if you want to do macro photography but don’t go on long or adventurous hikes.
Really Right Stuff TFC-33 Series 3 Mk2 Fixed Apex Ultralight 3-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod
Really Right Stuff is renowned for making high-quality tripods that just feel right. Because there is no center column, the TFC-33 can go really low (10 cm) without you having to fiddle with the center column. This is optimal for wildlife photography. It weighs 3.72 lb (1.69kg) and can support a load of up to 39 kg.
This tripod is an excellent choice for using heavy telephoto lenses for wildlife photography.
Benro GH2F Folding Travel Style Gimbal Head
Benro GH2F is designed for on-the-go photographers who use heavy cameras and lenses. It is compact, foldable, and can hold over 20 lbs (9 kg). The gimbal head has separate adjustments for panning and tilting, allowing you to follow your subject with precision. The bubble level makes sure your photographs will be straight. Furthermore, Benro GH2F provides a quick-release system that allows you to detach the camera when needed.
Fotopro E-6H Gimbal Head
The Fotopro E-6H gimbal head is great for wildlife and bird photography. The E-6H Gimbal Head is sturdy even when handling heavy equipment, with a maximum load capacity of 20 lbs or more. The movement is fluid and precise, plus the controls and knobs are easy to adjust, making it a good choice for animal photography.
Conclusion
Tripods are the first photo accessory one buys because they broaden the photographic horizon and provide endless artistic possibilities. For nature photography, a well-chosen tripod and tripod head may be what separates great photos from mediocre ones. That’s because they release you from the camera’s weight and let you focus on photography, stabilize and align the camera almost in any position, and offer support for panning, creating panoramas, and taking long exposures. Choose the gear that matches your workflow and spend your time and energy taking beautiful nature photographs.
