Tripods are one of those tools you might love to use, but hate to lug around. Without them, though, it is nearly impossible to get a wide variety of shots, including fireworks, city lights at night, tack-sharp landscapes, and beautiful sunsets.
They are also valuable in situations where you want to use ambient lighting, like capturing a candlelight dinner or swirling dancers during a romantically lit wedding reception.
Tripods allow you to break free of the limits of hand-held photos, liberating you from the necessity of fast shutter speeds and the dilemmas of camera shake. You can experiment with time-lapse photography and the mesmerizing effects of blurred objects in motion with the use of one.
Try to get in the routine of carrying a tripod with you, even if it is just to keep one in the trunk of your car. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen a remarkable photo opportunity while leaving an assignment, walking out of a store, or simply driving down the street. Having a tripod with you will allow you to capture great photos of sunsets, Christmas lights, Halloween decorations, or moving traffic against a background of city lights. All on the spur of the moment and in dimly lit situations.
If you don’t have a tripod, one possible alternative is a large beanbag. While not as versatile, they are much easier for photographers to carry around. Just find something to set the bag on, like a chair, fence, or your car, and then settle your camera into it for stable shooting. Some beanbags even come with a camera mount for your camera to screw onto (like the POD Camera Platform).