Working without a tripod

- From time to time viewers send in email…asking me why I don't use a tripod more often,…and I feel guilty about it actually, that I'm not more…diligently carrying a tripod around and using it,…and my short answer is always, well I'm lazy,…they're bulky and they're heavy…and all of that's true, even with a lighter tripod…it's still an extra thing to carry and it's just a hassle.…But when I actually stop and think about it,…when I'm out shooting I realize, no there are…other reasons that I don't use a tripod more often.…Now I do use a tripod and I do travel with one,…and I'm pretty diligent about always making sure…that I have one at least with me…if I'm going on an extended trip…because if I'm going to shoot a low light…there's simply no way around long exposures…requiring a tripod but for a lot of other stuff…I really prefer not to work with a tripod…because it changes the way that I shoot.…

When I'm mounting the camera on a tripod…and framing things, I get really locked in to…this very precise, geometric, squared-off angles…