I’ve been noticing something more often as I take photos. The pictures I’ve taken lately on my tripod seem to be done at the same level, which is “eye” level. Now that I’m getting ready for a trip to Mammoth and Yosemite, I’ve been taking a closer look at the tripod. There are so many different positions to take pictures using it. The one position I’m looking forward to trying is having the tripod go all the way down to ground level. I can do that by removing the center column and extending the legs outward. That is one of the reasons why I bought the tripod I have: versatility. It’s also super light-weight because it’s made of carbon fiber.

Using a tripod can be a large benefit, but there are times when it seems to be too restrictive. When the camera is off the tripod I feel a little more artistic control; it feels more like an extension of my arm than something that has to be pushed or pulled on a fixed point. I’ve taken photos hanging over ledges above a canyon and lying on a forest ground shooting upward at a 45 degree angle. Tripods can do that, but when you want to keep moving and have ideas going through your mind, it’s better to have a little more freedom.

On a side note, the Eurovision Song Competition ended yesterday. Emmelie de Forest of Denmark won with the song “Only Teardrops”. It’s one of the songs on the Eurovision album I didn’t pay much attention to, but after listening to it more I can see why it won. Margaret Berger of Norway came in fourth, so that’s not too bad. I knew she would be in the top five. The competition moves to Denmark next year. It will be interesting to see if Copenhagen hosts it or another city…