Broke my tripod on a shoot last week then found out I could stack books as a stabilizer

I was trying to get a clear shot of the Orion Nebula from my backyard in Phoenix and my cheap tripod leg snapped. I had a long exposure set up and nothing to hold the camera steady so I grabbed three textbooks and a yoga block. Stacked them under the lens and the shot came out way sharper than I expected. Anyone else use weird household items instead of proper gear when you're in a bind?

3 comments

3 Comments

olivia_wilson25d ago

Honestly I used to think stacking books was just a joke but now I might have to try it.

joseph45522d ago

Olivia_wilson, I've done the exact same thing with a set of old encyclopedias and a bag of rice on top. Got four clear frames of the moon that way before the wind kicked up and knocked the whole thing over. The weight trick with a water bottle really does help steady it.

the_miles25d ago

Stacked a cast iron skillet under my camera once when I forgot my tripod head at home. Worked surprisingly well for landscapes but I wouldn't try it with a long exposure of the nebula. The books trick is actually a solid move if you weight them down right. Sandbags or even a heavy water bottle on top of the stack helps kill vibration too. Just watch out for pages flapping if you shoot outside in a breeze.

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