Go-Go Gadget

Emily Shur at Work © Lydia Burkhalter

I'm a gadget lover and am constantly on the hunt for fun gizmos and technology out there, especially things that make my life easier. So, I thought, why not pair that with my love of all things photo-related? My mission will be to report on cool photo gadgets out there...

...Like some fun tripod alternatives I used on my summer vacation. Every year I go up to the Adirondacks with my (constantly expanding) family and take a group photo at some point. I usually wind up balancing my 35mm and (borrowed) DSLR on a series of rocks and twigs, setting the camera on auto-shoot and running into the frame. This year I thought it might be a good idea to take a tripod that I can cart around easily on our hikes. Actually, I brought two.

One, I had my handy brother-in-law put together for me, nothing new, but totally works for my point-and-shoot:

Awesome Graphic © melanie

DIY bottle cap camera holder was cheap and effective: just drill a small hole in a bottle cap, and sandwich two small washers between a screw (on the inside of the cap) and nut (on the outside). Thread your camera on the end of the protruding screw and tighten cap on a bottle. As long as it was on a reasonably stable surface and filled with h20, it worked fab. Can't beat the portability, although I don't recommend you let it double as your water bottle top (or use it for anything more than a tiny camera).

Courtesy of Joby

The other I decided to go for something a little more professional-like (especially b/c I borrowed my friend's dslr) and got the Joby Gorillapod SLR. Let me tell you, our group photo is usually one of the highlights for my family, most likely because they get a good laugh at me setting up the makeshift scene and running into the picture, usually snapping a few really funny shots in the process. This time, I was prepared. Thanks Gorillapod, I was no longer the butt of jokes. Ok, I still was, but at least not for our loving family photo session.