tripod would be too bulky to carry. An alternative is a clamp-pod, which is a ball head attached to a C-clamp. Another technique involves forming a string triangle held taut around the two feet of the photographer and linked to the camera. This negative string "tripod" can stabilize the camera sufficiently to use a shutter speed three stops slower. Heads The head is the part of the tripod that attaches to the camera and allows it to be aimed. It may be integrated into the tripod, or a separate part. There are generally two different types of heads available. A ball head utilizes a ball joint to allow rotational movement about all axes from a single point. Some ball heads also have a separate panoramic rotation joint on the base of the head. The head has two main parts, the ball, which attaches to the camera, and the socket, which attaches to the tripod. The camera is attached to the ball by means of quick release plate or a simple UNC 1/4"-20 screw. The socket encloses the rotating ball and also contains the controls for locking the ball. The socket has a slot on the side to allow the camera to be rotated to the portrait orientation. Ball heads come in varying degrees of complexity. Some have only one control for both ball and pan lock, while others have individual controls for the ball lock, pan lock, and ball friction. Ball heads are used when a free-flowing movement of the camera is needed. They are also more stable and can hold heavier loads than pan-tilt heads. However, ball heads have the disadvantage that only one control is available to allow or prevent movement of all axes of rotation, so if the camera is tilted around one axis, there may be a risk of rotation about the other axes as well. When a movement around one or two axes or rotation is needed, a pan-tilt head is used. The pan-tilt head has separate joints and controls for tilting and panning, so that a certain axis can be controlled without affecting the other axes. These heads come in two types, called 2-way and 3-way. 2-way heads have 2 axes and controls, one for panoramic rotation and one for front tilt. 3-way heads have 3 axes and controls, one for panoramic rotation, front tilt, and lateral tilt. The controls on these heads are