I have a small tripod like the one you show, never knew how much I'd use it when I bought it, but now I can't take a picture without it. That and the timer function has made many a steady shot for me.

I found a couple really small LEDs that you can clip on your glasses or brim of your hat for hiking or auto mechanicing or something along those lines. Each clip has two LEDs that can be turned on individually so I can have one LED or four. One is quite enought for just barely lighting something in pitch dark and provides just enough light for my camera's low-light setting (Which was great for taking a picture of the Joe's sniper in an area, thus the camera was on a low light setting taking a picture of a Low Light setting [rimshot!])

I also have a AA battery powered Mag-Lite I use for a bit more light in the dark.
As far as indoor shots, when I get a new figure, I genearraly take a picture of him for the archives against a blank white back ground, similar to the Eels shot I posted a few days ago. For that I just use a simple desk lamp and try to avoid the flash so there's no shadow. The few interior shots I've taken against a background of a wall of something like that, I just use the regular lighting I've got in my kitchen, which is a florecent light, so it gives my hall ways a florecent light lit look (say that five times fast).

I need to actually sit down and play with the functions on my camera, I dunno, maybe down load the instructions to see what it's capable of, maybe I can get some better shots.

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The United States will conquer Terrorism with the help of God and a few Marines.

Some people, when trying to avoid thinking about those things that cause them pain, turn to drink, or perhaps food, or drugs... I turn not to any of those... I collect action figures, turning my mind to the hunt, so that I might find a mote of peace... Over the years, I've found that alcoholism is much more socially acceptable by far.