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Conventional wisdom has it that long exposures need a tripod to lend the critical static position to have an acceptable sharp picture of a still subject in low light, or allow subject-created motion blur. But, there are times when a tripod is not to hand, or awkward to use, but there is a "must have" subject. At such times improvisation is a must. Prop the camera to an optimal safe angle and height with solid objects (maybe topped with something vibration absorbent like a towel). Then use cable release / remote / or time delay to avoid shake and vibration.

This picture was taken from an 11th floor hotel bedroom window (through glass) during the Chinese New Year celebrations in Hangzhou. The wide window sill was used for support, with additional books to raise the height, and socks to support the lens for angle and dampen vibration. To avoid light flooding the room lights were turned off, and curtains closed behind the camera. Directional and exposure estimates were made in trials to obtain the most likely camera settings and sky position for good results. Many timed exposures were then taken on delay to get something that would be really memorable.