So you've tried lying on the ground, twisting your body in every way humanly possible way, you've made yourself into a human tripod, and executed every breathing technique you know just to avoid the dreaded camera shake. But somehow, your photos still aren't as sharp as they should be, or could be...

You probably need a tripod. Yes, it's really that simple. 


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<div><a title="Art Morris photo student in silhouette by Mike Baird, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikebaird/3195053131/">[imageeffect type="frame" align="aligncenter" width="600" height="387" alt="" url="http://thebeginnerslens.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Tripod.jpg"]</a>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Art Morris photo student in silhouette</em>
Photo by Mike Baird</p>
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Often undervalued, deemed cumbersome and even annoying - tripods get a bad rap. Many photographers even spend money first on new image stabilized lenses, flash guns, and other camera accessories. And some even go as far as upgrading their camera bodies, before considering the humble tripod! Yes, <em>sometimes</em> new equipment can help but ultimately most cases of camera shake are caused by unsteady hands, and for that you need a tripod. 

And if you still need to be convinced, here's a few other good reasons you need a tripod:
<ol>
	<li><strong>Taking photos at night</strong>
Many photos taken at night require a very long shutter speed to let the most light into the camera as possible. There's no way you can hold the camera steady for that long, so get yourself a tripod.</li>
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	<li><strong>Using long / telephoto lenses</strong>
Long lenses and telephoto lenses can be hard to steady so to achieve sharp, clear photos with a long lens, a tripod is a must.</li>
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	<li><strong>Nature shots</strong>
Sometimes you have to wait for hours for that hippo to come out of the river, or the bald eagle to leave its' nest. If you've already got your camera set up on the tripod, you are ready to capture that perfect shot! And better yet, you can sit down while you wait!</li>
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	<li><strong>Action shots</strong>
When taking action shots, you'll need to master the art of the pre-focus, plan and pan so you can be sure to capture all of the action! A tripod will make your panning action exponentially easier!</li>
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	<li><strong>Close-up / Macro Photography</strong>
This type of photography requires very small, controlled adjustments, make it easy on yourself by using a tripod that can accomodate these micro-movements.</li>
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<li><strong>When you need to be consistent</strong>
Occasionally you may want to shoot the same shot many times, under different lighting conditions, or on different days, the only way to do this properly and accurately is with a tripod.</li>
</ol><p>&nbsp;</p>
So...what's just moved to the top of your gear list? A tripod of course!! 