Tripod

The tripod is an essential item. Its use will dramatically improve your photos. Never leave home without it. Tripods allow you two basic improvements. The first one is a sharper focus and the second one is a better composed image.

Blurred images are caused by camera shake and a rock solid tripod helps eliminate this camera movement. Your photos will suddenly be improved with a sharper focused image. Also you can shoot in low light conditions and take advantage of lower ISO speeds and smaller aperture settings.

Using a tripod causes you to slow down and improve your compositions. You can get a closer look at your shot. Fine adjustments are now possible. You can even wait out a lighting change as a cloud passes overhead or a wind ruffling the leaves and grass. The tripod gives you time to evaluate the subject and its environment.

The tripod allowed me to compose the image and wait until each Big Horn had a mouthful of grass and was looking my way. That is when I took the shot. Without the tripod this photo would not have happened.