| photographers today, both amateur and professional, | | | | was moving through the pan. Great action shots - and |
| have a Table Top Tripod in their gadget bag for use | | | | sharp! (Bonus tip - with this technique, you can slow the |
| when photographing small objects on a "table top," or | | | | shutter speed down to 1/60 or 1/125 or so, and when |
| for bracing on top of a car, wall, or fence when a full | | | | you pan with the car going by, releasing the shutter |
| size tripod isn't available or practical. | | | | during the pan, you get a picture that just SHOUTS |
| There are times, however, when you want the support | | | | SPEED!) |
| and vibration stopping of a tripod, but the subject is | | | | And, of course, slowing down a bit, you can use it on |
| moving around way too quickly - you just can't get | | | | hikes to increase the stability and sharpness of your |
| reoriented fast enough to get the shot: just think about | | | | photos while lightening the load you carry. And it sets |
| shooting photos of an active child on a playground. But | | | | up more quickly than a full size tripod. |
| you really do want the steadiness that a tripod affords | | | | My other, newer model is the Slik Mini-Pro. These folks |
| for sharper photos that can be blown up big and still | | | | make many, many tripods in all sizes, weights, materials |
| be eye-catchingly sharp. | | | | - you can select just the right one for your needs. The |
| Enter the classic table top tripod. | | | | tripod folds up very small, and comes with a typical |
| By twisting it around into a novel configuration with the | | | | (though small) pan head. The small pan head is great |
| tripod against your chest and the camera to your eye, | | | | for basic table tops, but it is somewhat awkward for |
| you can brace the camera to get much of the | | | | chest pod use. |
| stabilizing power of a tripod on the floor - but the | | | | Far easier and more effective, I recommend a Kaiser |
| flexibility to move around quickly with fast moving | | | | Lightweight Ball & Socket Head to replace the |
| subjects. It also can be braced on a wall, fence, the | | | | pan head that comes with the tripod (don't throw the |
| side of a house - anything that gives you the stability | | | | pan head away, you will always find times when you |
| you need for the sharpest photos. | | | | still want to use it). When you are actually using the ball |
| I have two. First, a classic Leitz Table Top Tripod with | | | | & socket head, you may not want to totally lock |
| Large Ball and Socket Head. I think this is no longer | | | | up the ball head, just use a slight drag. This gives you |
| made (mine is over 40 years old - Leica makes good | | | | much more flexibility to move with the subject, while |
| stuff!). It has one disadvantage. You cannot set the ball | | | | giving you the extra support for extra sharp photos. |
| head for limited or smooth drag. It is either loose or | | | | Since the Leitz model is no longer available (unless you |
| locked. And though it folds flat, it doesn't fold compact | | | | find one used), the Slik/Kaiser combination will make a |
| (unless you separate the two parts - which makes it | | | | valuable addition to your gadget bag, giving you |
| more difficult to set up quickly). | | | | freedom for photographing fast moving subjects while |
| I used this setup several times photographing Indy | | | | keeping the camera stable enough to encourage large |
| Type race cars going by at over 200 miles per hour! I | | | | prints you'll be proud to display. This is especially true if |
| was standing about 50 - 60 feet from the track and | | | | your camera has image stabilization. |
| just panned my whole body, with the chest pod | | | | By all means try this valuable technique. It will really help |
| supporting the camera, and released the shutter while I | | | | you get more great photos to make really big prints. |