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Taking a sharp picture in low light often requires the same shooting technique that a rifle marksman uses to hit a target. Brace yourself, breath out slowly, and press the trigger (or in our case, the shutter button). This technique works with both compact cameras and DSLRs, but doesn’t help that much when shooting outdoor macro photographs of flowers (one of my favorite subjects this time of year). Why?

It’s often not practical to get close enough to a ground-level flower while maintaining a steady, braced pose. That’s why a tripod is a required tool for most macro photographers. However, when shooting flowers I invariably find one that’s set back in a garden just within reach but in a spot where I can’t set up a tripod. Also, I’m always trying to get better photos of the butterflies that stop by for a bit of nectar. However, I swear I hear them laughing when I try to set up a tripod to take their pictures. (Why can’t those little critters stay still for more than a few seconds?)