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🎙️ Do you actually need a tripod? Not the answer every photography guide gives you — the honest one. Sometimes yes. And sometimes, genuinely, no. In this episode, I'll tell you exactly when each is true, what to look for if you decide to buy one, and the single most common tripod mistake — and it has nothing to do with the tripod itself. Whether you're thinking about buying your first tripod or wondering why the one in the cupboard never gets used, this episode will give you a straight answer in plain English.

📋 In this episode:

1️⃣ Your photo is blurry and you don't know why — here's what a tripod actually fixes

Start here. Understand exactly what a tripod does — and how to tell whether it would have fixed your blurry photo.

2️⃣ Two situations where a tripod stops being optional

Low light and long exposures. If either of these is on your photography list, a tripod belongs in your kit.

3️⃣ Good light and fast subjects? You probably don't need one

The honest other side of the conversation. In good daylight with image stabilisation, you often don't need a tripod at all.

4️⃣ Right, you've decided you need one — here's what to actually look for

Stability, load capacity, ball head vs pan-tilt, leg locks, height. Everything that actually matters when you're choosing.

5️⃣ The alternatives worth knowing about

Monopod, beanbag, natural supports. These are more effective than most photographers realise — and often more practical than a full tripod.

6️⃣ The cheap tripod problem

A wobbly tripod is worse than no tripod. Here's why cheap is false economy, and how to spend wisely.

7️⃣ The most common tripod mistake — not taking it with you

The best tripod is the one that's actually there when you need it. Buy for your real photography life, not your imaginary one.

📖 Full guide and show notes:

rickmcevoyphotography.com — Episode 235 show notes

🎙️ Related episodes:

Episode 96 — Do You Want To Know How To Take Photos On A Tripod?

Episode 234 — Oh No. Another Blurry Photo. Here's How to Stop It Right Now.

💝 Next episode:

What gear do you actually need as a beginner? Not what the photography industry wants you to buy — what you actually need, and what to completely ignore. Episode 236 publishes Friday 3rd July 2026. Subscribe now so you don't miss it.

▶️ Find me on YouTube by searching Rick McEvoy.

🌐 Website: rickmcevoyphotography.com

📚 Courses: rickmcevoyphotography.com/courses

🔧 Resources: rickmcevoyphotography.com/resources

 My brand new course Photography for Beginners: Sunrise in Mexico, will teach you exactly how to get out at sunrise and come back with photos you love all told in plain English. it includes real footage of me photographing an actual sunrise in Mexico with an entry level camera. Find out more at rickmcevoyphotography.com/courses.

If you want to start taking stunning sunrise photos, and why wouldn't you, check out my Photography for Beginners: Sunrise in Mexico course at rickmcevoyphotography.com/courses.

Support the show

Get your question answered
This is what my podcast is all about: answering your photography questions. Just head over to my shiny new website to find out more about me, my podcast and my photography.

Thanks very much for listening

Cheers from me Rick

Send us Fan Mail

📷 Another blurry photo? Before you delete it — zoom in. In this episode I walk through the three types of blurry photo — camera shake, subject motion, and focus blur — how to diagnose which one you've got, and exactly what to change to stop it happening again.

What We Cover

1. Diagnose First — What Kind of Blurry Are You Looking At? Three types, how to tell them apart, and why getting the diagnosis right matters
2. Camera Shake Blur — Your Shutter Speed Is the Problem. The 1-over-focal-length rule, the 1/60th floor, and how to use EXIF data to find the answer
3. Subject Motion Blur — Something Moved While the Shutter Was Open. Why you often need to go faster than you'd expect
4. Focus Blur — Your Camera Focused on the Wrong Thing. Single-point autofocus and the half-press that locks it in
5. Check How You're Holding Your Camera. Technique makes a bigger difference than most people realise
6. Check Your Shutter Speed First, Every Time. The one setting that fixes two of the three types
7. Auto ISO — Let the Camera Help You Get a Sharper Photo. And why a noisy photo always beats a blurry one

Blog Post
Episode 234 — Oh No. Another Blurry Photo. Here's How to Stop It Right Now.

Related Episodes
Episode 224 — Why Are My Photos Blurry? All the Reasons and How to Fix Them

Episode 89 — Camera Shake — What Is It And How Do I Stop It Happening?

Next Episode 💝
Do I Really Need a Tripod? Really? Why Rick, Why? — Episode 235, Friday 19 June 2026.

Find Me
🎥 Search Rick McEvoy on YouTube

🌐 rickmcevoyphotography.com

📚 Courses: rickmcevoyphotography.com/courses

🛠️ Resources: rickmcevoyphotography.com/resources

 My brand new course Photography for Beginners: Sunrise in Mexico, will teach you exactly how to get out at sunrise and come back with photos you love all told in plain English. it includes real footage of me photographing an actual sunrise in Mexico with an entry level camera. Find out more at rickmcevoyphotography.com/courses.

If you want to start taking stunning sunrise photos, and why wouldn't you, check out my Photography for Beginners: Sunrise in Mexico course at rickmcevoyphotography.com/courses.

Support the show

Get your question answered
This is what my podcast is all about: answering your photography questions. Just head over to my shiny new website to find out more about me, my podcast and my photography.

Thanks very much for listening

Cheers from me Rick

Send us Fan Mail

Are you holding your camera like a cheese and pickle sandwich? 🥪 One hand, casual, not really thinking about it?

In this episode, Rick covers six practical techniques that will make your photos sharper — starting the moment you pick up your camera. No kit required. No settings to change. Just how to hold, how to stand, and how to breathe. All of it free. All of it doable today. 📸

In this episode 🎙️

1. How to grip your camera with your right hand (and why most beginners get this wrong)
2. Why your left hand is your best camera stabiliser — and how to use it properly
3. How using your viewfinder creates a third point of contact — and makes you a human tripod
4. Why tucking your elbows in reduces camera shake more than you'd think
5. How foot position and stance affect your camera stability
6. The breathing technique that gives you sharper photos instantly

Full episode and show notes 📖

Are You Holding Your Camera Like a Cheese and Pickle Sandwich?

Related episodes 🎧

Episode 93 — How Do You Hold a Camera Properly? This Is Very Important!

Episode 89 — Camera Shake — What Is It and How Do I Stop It Happening?

Next episode 💝

You've sorted your grip. You're holding the camera properly. You press the shutter. And then — oh no. Another blurry photo.

Episode 234 — 'Oh No. Another Blurry Photo. Here's How to Stop It Right Now.' — out Friday 5th June 2026.

Find me online 🌍

RickMcEvoyPhotography.com

Courses — rickmcevoyphotography.com/courses

Resources — rickmcevoyphotography.com/resources

YouTube — find me by searching Rick McEvoy 🎬

Text me from the podcast feed if you have questions or want to share how you get on. How utterly splendid. 🤝

I've been Rick McEvoy. Thanks for listening to my small but perfectly formed podcast. Take care. Stay safe. Cheers! 👋

 My brand new course Photography for Beginners: Sunrise in Mexico, will teach you exactly how to get out at sunrise and come back with photos you love all told in plain English. it includes real footage of me photographing an actual sunrise in Mexico with an entry level camera. Find out more at rickmcevoyphotography.com/courses.

If you want to start taking stunning sunrise photos, and why wouldn't you, check out my Photography for Beginners: Sunrise in Mexico course at rickmcevoyphotography.com/courses.

Support the show

Get your question answered
This is what my podcast is all about: answering your photography questions. Just head over to my shiny new website to find out more about me, my podcast and my photography.

Thanks very much for listening

Cheers from me Rick