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What has one leg and a million uses?
The Stakepod
Attention campers: Those tent stakes lying around the garage can do more than hold up your Wenger Swiss Army 9x9. Lash one or more to the base of your monopod, press into a welcoming patch of softened earth, and you can reap nearly as much stability as you'd get from a tripod. The lower your stakepod's center of gravity (i.e., the fewer monopod sections you extend), the greater its stability. As with all the still photography techniques shown here, you'll get the best results by using the stakepod in tandem with your camera's self-timer.
The Beltpod
March this way: We've seen monopod chest harnesses before, some costing as much as $500. None, however, were any more effective than a simple flag belt, which you'll find at parade supply stores and on the Internet. Lightweight and adjustable, canvas belts sell for under $20; leather ones for under $40. Used with a camera's self-timer, a monopod harness delivers (for us) about one extra stop of sharpness compared with handholding. The belts are especially convenient when working in muddy or wet terrain, where extending a monopod to its working height can be inconvenient.
The Skypod
Air superiority: Want to shoot over a wall, through a high window, or over the heads of a crowd? Or maybe you just want a higher vantage point than other photographers. Try the skypod. Simply extend your monopod's leg sections fully, focus manually, set the camera's self-timer, hoist the monopod skyward, and pray that you have a knack for long-distance composing. Depending on the subject, it can help to tilt the camera downward somewhat before the hoist.
The Steadipod
Gain weight now: You've heard of the Steadicam, right? A device that will stabilize a camcorder as you walk (and shoot), a Steadicam can cost thousands. Meet the low-buck substitute: the steadipod. By attaching a 5-pound weight to a monopod's lowest section, and forming a yoke with your hands around the monopod's head, the resulting plumb-bob-like mechanism will help you keep a level horizon as you walk and shoot with an attached camcorder. While the device (obviously) can't help you with up-and-down movement, after some practice, you'll get a visible improvement in side-to-side rocking. Bigger biceps, too!
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