Why I Use Manual Mode with a Tripod – 5 Creative Photo Ideas

In this week’s post, I’ll share why I love using manual mode with a tripod—and how it helps me capture scenes I’d miss in any other mode.

Let’s face it. Manual Mode can feel intimidating—until you realize it’s actually about taking full creative control of your camera. For me, one of the easiest and most practical times to switch into Manual Mode is when I have my camera on a tripod.

In this post, I’ll share five photos I shot in Manual Mode, all from a tripod, and explain why that combination helped me get the results I wanted. I hope it encourages you to try it, too!

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1. Fire Dancers in Hawaii – Creative Motion with Manual Mode and a Tripod

I shot this photo of dancers in Lahaina, Hawaii (before the devastating fire). It was taken with a shutter speed of 1/30 second—slow enough to let the flames blur beautifully. Because my camera was on a tripod and the dancers were standing still, they stayed sharp.

Settings: ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/30 sec

Why use Manual Mode with a tripod? I wanted to control the shutter speed precisely to show the flame trails, while keeping the scene stable and crisp. The result is similar to panning, except that the camera stayed still. The dancers’ arms made the movement, and the slow shutter speed recorded it.

📖 A personal note: After the fire, I posted a photo from this shoot on Facebook, expressing hope that the dancers were safe. One of them—center stage in this photo—commented that he and his family had survived but lost everything. I was able to send him these photos. Manual mode with a tripod gave me the control to create meaningful images I’ll always treasure.

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2. The King Sejong Statue – Make Tourists Disappear

This popular monument is usually crowded. It’s in the heart of Seoul, South Korea and was really close to our apartment when we lived there. By using a 25-second exposure with a small aperture (f/16) and low ISO, I made most of the tourists vanish, leaving behind only ghostly traces.

Settings: ISO 100, f/16, 25 sec

Why choose Manual Mode when you’re using a Tripod? I needed to lock in my exposure for a long shutter speed without overexposing the scene.

📌 Tripod Tip: Want to try this yourself? Download my Tripod Setup Checklist—a free guide to getting it right the first time.

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3. A Full Moon over Colonial Williamsburg – Composite Control

This twilight photo of the Capitol building in Colonial Williamsburg was taken with an 8-second exposure. But did you know the moon moves fast enough to blur in that time? To compensate for that, I took a second photo with a faster shutter speed and combined the two in Photoshop.

Settings: ISO 100, f/14, 8 sec (for the main shot)

Why Manual Mode with a Tripod? I needed matching settings for both exposures—only Manual Mode lets me lock in aperture, ISO, and focus across shots, while I changed the shutter speed. The tripod allowed the two photos to perfectly line up.

Can you guess what the second photo looked like? It was mostly underexposed, all except for the moon.

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4. Creating the Fireworks Finale Look– Layering with Manual Mode and a Tripod

This looks like I captured the fireworks finale in one go, but it’s a composite shot using a trick where I opened the shutter for 25 seconds and blocked the lens for parts of it to limit light.

Settings: ISO 100, f/8, 25 sec

Why use Manual Mode with a tripod? Only manual mode allows me to set and maintain my exposure for the creative technique I used here. I was able to layer the first few volleys in one photo. I did it because, as the show begins, there’s not a lot of smoke. By the time the finale arrives, the sky is full of smoke and not worth taking.

🧨 Want to try it? I explain the trick in this post: How to Shoot Fireworks

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5. Waterdrops – Precision Exposure, Frame by Frame

This photo shows water droplets frozen mid-air. I used burst mode and a 1/1000 second shutter speed to capture the right moment, with the camera locked on a tripod.

Settings: ISO 400, f/9, 1/1000 sec

Why did I use Manual Mode with my tripod? I needed consistent, exact exposure settings, and the tripod let me compose carefully and stay steady while shooting in bursts.

📸 I’ll share behind-the-scenes photos of this setup in my next newsletter! Be sure to sign up.

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Why I Love Manual Mode with a Tripod

Using manual mode with a tripod gives me:

• Creative control over every setting
• Consistency across multiple exposures
• Freedom to experiment with slow or fast shutter speeds
• The ability to photograph in tricky lighting with confidence

And it makes me feel like I’m in charge, not my camera.

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Now It’s Your Turn

Next time your camera’s on a tripod, switch to Manual Mode. Try photographing a night scene, some light trails, or even your backyard after dark.

When the camera’s steady, manual mode becomes your creative playground.

👉 Want to get more confident using all four pro modes on your camera? My Camera Mechanics Workshop walks you through them one step at a time.

If you’re prepping for a trip and want to get more creative, here’s a post to get you started:

✈️ Fire Up Your Travel Photos

🎁 And don’t forget to grab your Tripod Setup Checklist—it’s free, and makes getting great tripod shots easier and faster!