How to Get Sharp Images in Low Light Without a Tripod

Bad light? No tripod? No problem. These techniques will help you get razor-sharp images without the need for perfect conditions or optimum gear.

When you're faced with a low-light scenario and you don't have a tripod on hand, it can become a very frustrating experience if you're not used to dealing with such conditions or you don't have a camera that works particularly well under circumstances like these. You can try some standard things like increasing your ISO, but that often leads to increased digital noise. Or you can increase the shutter speed, but you might not have enough light to work with, or your depth of field might become too shallow for your needs. So, what are some options that will allow you to get the photo you want with the right exposure, and more importantly, as sharp as if you had a tripod at your disposal? In this video, there are six tips outlined with examples and visual instructions and explanations offered. I've used a number of them during my travels across Japan and Europe, especially finding a third point of contact to add another layer of stability to your camera.

What do you think? Are there any other creative methods you have for adding increased stability and sharpness to images despite having poor light and no tripod? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below.

Iain Stanley's picture

Iain Stanley is an Associate Professor teaching photography and composition in Japan. Fstoppers is where he writes about photography, but he's also a 5x Top Writer on Medium, where he writes about his expat (mis)adventures in Japan and other things not related to photography. To view his writing, click the link above.

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5 Comments

Ah, fun seeing one of Mark’s videos here - He is a great guy and have worked with him several times.

Yes he seems passionate about photography and that comes through in his videos.

You forgot Tip #7: use a camera with good image stabilization.

Or lens

Holy moly, Fs in Riga 😱