I guess, in the future, you will go for a real studio towerstand. It´s looking big, so you might think, it is only working slow, but with the counterweight in the inside from the big tube (which you also can change to fit the weight from the horizontal arm), your whole camera setup will be nearly "weightless" to move up and down on a real studio towerstand. On your current Studio Titan stand, you have to lift the whole weight on the pistol-grips with your own muscles...there is no support from a counterweight like on a real towerstand. That is called quality of life improvement. Its just up to you, which brand you will choose (manfrotto, cambo, foba, etc.)

I almost always use a tripod. With the current high-megapixel camera's I don't want to risk camera-shake to ruin my pictures. The Studio Titan stand is really nice! I will look into that. Thanks for your video; keep up the good work!

I find my self balancing the use of a tripod. When working with kids and younger I find it much easier just free hand with sling. When working with adults and models a tripod is perfect when you can just mark the spot for them and they can work in that location.

Me too John ✋. I watched other photographers with tripods, while I ran around all over the place. I drew the same conclusion after shooting with a landscape photographer. His images and methods humbled me, and now I am making more "deliberate" choices and commitments to my images

I used a tripod back when I had a Portrait studio a lot of the times. It is convenient to be able to move around and do all the things I needed to do before and after the shot.

I ALWAYS use a tripod for my most-beautiful studio portraits, as those would, of course, be self-portraits. HAHAHA! Most of my studio portraits are formal, fine-art style, so a tripod is a good idea. I use a Manfrotto geared head, but the quality is just not there. Last time i checked, they had two geared heads available, and I have the 'cheaper' one. It's not stable, if you touch it. But I always shoot with a remote (usually on a tethered laptop), so it's not much of an issue. Your work is always beautiful, so I always pay attention to what you have to say. Just one question: Do you ever shoot checks, or is it only dudes?

Based on the title I thought you were going to argue against using a tripod. However, your video was about going from one tripod to a different tripod. if you’re not using a tripod, you can get some extreme angles. For example, you could lay down on the ground and shoot a very low angle shot.

I have a similar story to yours, I never thought I would be doing studio work either, but things happen for a reason...

"Brazil"! :)

I'm a big fan of the ole tripod! But I was surprised at your reasoning being for the batch processing in post and framing. I'd certainly never considered that. But that said I do still use film, unusually for this day and age, and I shoot square 6x6, so this is not something that would apply for me. Your demonstration of the other stand with the release handles and levellers was also something I'd not thought of. Super useful :-)

John I’m a huge fan from Michigan. This is outstanding, I love the setup. Great work!

I enjoyed the entire half of the video about how your past experience informs how you find it best to work today. Growing up shooting color reversal film really hammered into me the idea of getting everything right in camera. (That’s not to say that I did, or that I don’t do some edits in Lightroom today, but I’m definitely better off for the technical knowledges gained). This style of video is fun and packs a lot in a short time.

This was such a great episode! Appreciations!!

Thanks John, have a shoot in a couple of hours will give this a try.

Thanks for the video John. I have also found myself using a tripod more while shooting for consistency.

Great insight to the camera stand and tethering cord. Maybe I’ll see you when I’m at Chicago, ClickCon next month.

Big help. So, you said you've been at this around 25 y. But you only came to this conclusion at the quarter century. This is a relief, because I had this expectation of having to figure out all methods in three years of practice and I haven't. I'm getting that stand. Looks like just what I need.

Very interesting, and food for thoughts, I can definitely sympathise with the nightmares of tethering and cables, I have devised my own solution for it, however it isn’t as simple and practical as yours seams to be, if I had my own studio instead of renting on a regular basis I would definitely deep my hands in my pockets and give it a go, might actually just just buy the set up to carry into studios.

Thanks for the awesome video, John! How did you apply the

I'd love to take one of your classes. I'll try to come next year.