How to Steady a Camera With String

This is my entry into the Photojojo contest. If you like it, please vote.

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Tripods are big, bulky, expensive, and often inconvenient pieces of equipment that, unfortunately, are a necessity for taking great photos. Here I will instruct you on how to create a super-simple, pocket-sized camera steadying device (tripod).

Really easy. These can be carried in any pocket, anywhere, and through any TSA checkpoint.
By the way, TSA does not stand for Transportation Security Administration, but rather Thousands Standing Around.

• About 4 feet of string or other cordage
• 1 carabiner
• Pants with a belt loop
• A camera in need of steadying

Line up the two ends of string.

Place the ends over the rest of the string thus creating a loop.

Put the ends through the loop.

And pull tight.

Hook your carabiner onto the loop you created in the last step.

Then attach the carabiner to a belt loop on your pants.

To attach the camera to the string, use a Lark's Head knot. The Lark's Head is a remarkably simple knot that has an endless number of uses. Here is one of them.

I am demonstrating this Instructable on my old 35mm film camera because I have only one digital camera. This old camera was nearly buried in a closet.

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Make a loop in the string and place the camera over it. Notice the naming of the ends in the picture.

Lift 'end A'

Put 'end B' through 'end A's loop.

Pull tight by pulling on 'end B'

Make sure the knot is secured on the bottom of the camera and that (if possible) one side of the knot is on one side of the lens and the other is on the other side (confusing, I know, the last picture will clarify.)

To use this, stand and pull upwards on the camera thus applying tension to the string to keep the camera steady.

A belt might be handy when using this to keep your pants from getting pulled up to your armpits (which is not fun while trying to take photos).

Here are the before and after pictures. Quite a difference.