String Tripods
A DIY photo gadget that you can make from stuff you probably have kicking around in your basement or shed? Is right! We are hooked!
It’s one of those completely daft projects, but it may actually work – I’m sure as hell going to give it a shot!
The main problem of taking photos free-hand is that your hands aren’t particularly sturdy. Myself, I find using a heavier camera makes it a lot easier (the inertia of the camera means it is reluctant to move, so up to a point, a heavy camerea is easier to hold still than a very light camera.), but what for lighter cameras? The answer might just be a String Tripod!
I often find myself thinking “Damn, if there was only a way to anchor the camera to the ground…” And that’s exactly the way a string tripod works! Basically, you pull the string taut, and the idea is that you loop the string around something firm – such as your foot. If you make the loop bigger, you can even use it to adjust the height of the camera.
Sure, it will never replace a proper tripod or monopod, but I wouldn’t be surprised if you gain a couple of stops on your shutter time by using this system.
And the best thing? Making one of these is going to cost you less than a bottle of milk and a loaf of bread!
My day job, if it can be called that, is being a writer. I've got one book out there so far and it's awesome, so go ahead and buy a copy! It's available from 
In front of you, five hyperactive men with guitars, drums, and microphones. Behind you, five thousand fans. In your hands, a camera... You're going to need more than just a little bit of good luck to pull this one off. That's where this book comes in.
Take a Canon EOS 450D. Attach a Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens. Hit the streets of London. See what happens.
Insights, suggestions and comments
I’m frequently trying to shoot in light just a stop or two below what I can do hand-held, yet I have an aversion to carrying around a tripod. This is brilliant! I’ll definitely be trying it. Thanks!
Hmm – I have a tripod, but I don’t carry it with me mostly: good solution! And free :)
Thanks!
Actually forgot to mention – I used a loop on the base that came from my tripod to loop the string through, so literally no cost! (String was lying around anyway)
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