John Greengo is the master of explaining everything from ultra basic photography functions to high-level concepts. But in his course, Fundamentals of Digital Photography 2014, he focused on some of the building blocks of strong photography — including just one of the many tripod options available to photographers.
“I have a closet full of tripods,” John confessed, admitting that the best tripod and his favorite tripod are not the same thing. But, he says, there’s one tripod that, while certainly not useful for everyday shooting, is a huge help in getting hard-to-reach shots.
John explained that, while tripods are great for stabilizing a shot, they can also help photographers capture images that they otherwise couldn’t, due to their ability to reach heights that most humans can’t. With his tall tripod, which elevates the camera well above his own eye level, John can shoot over fences and trees, or on very uneven, rocky terrain, where the adjustable legs need to be varying heights.
To use the extra-tall tripod, John uses a step-ladder to help him safely take photos. And, he says, it has opened him up to new ideas about composition that, without it, he wouldn’t have imagined.
“I don’t need this that often, but it changes the way I look at what the potential shot is,” John said.
Watch the clip below to see the difference in his shots!
