Tripods steady your camera, allowing you to walk away from the camera to pose models, adjust lights, or take a self-portrait. They’re also required for long exposures that would induce camera shake, such as pictures taken at night or during the day with a neutral density (ND) filter. This video provides a quick overview of the tripods Chelsea and I use, along with the features that differentiate them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyfKVpgSw_s The sections that follow provide my quick recommendations for those who want to buy quickly and then offer detailed descriptions of different tripod features to help you better make your own buying choices. [html_sitemap child_of=CURRENT]