This week, I received some new gear for my phone camera.

My birthday is at the end of October and I always gift myself sometime during my birth month. I also gift myself at Christmas. Many years ago, I worked with a nurse who self-gifted twice a year. Her philosophy was that she worked hard for her money, so why not show herself a little appreciation with a treat on her birthday and at Christmas. Her rule was that it had to be something special. It couldn’t be clothing or anything else that she’d normally purchase throughout the year. I loved the idea and have made it my practice ever since.

I’m excited about this table top tripod for my phone. It’s made by UBeesize and comes with a blue tooth shutter release and an attachment for a Go Pro (which I don’t have, but Christmas is coming 😉). This particular tripod was recommended by Scott Kelby in an iPhone photography book he authored.

In the phone photography classes I’ve taken, every one has advised that the crispest photos of flowers, animals, landscapes, architecture, people, fireworks, aurora borealis, and macro shots are achieved when there’s minimal to zero camera shake. These are the photos you might want to frame. The best way to achieve this is through the use of a tripod and a remote shutter. Another nice thing is that the photographer can get into family shots without having to rely on a long selfie arm or a timer. The bracket rotates on a ball for a variety of photo angles and the tripod legs are bendable.

For photos that need a taller view than tabletop, the phone bracket has a universal screw that fits any tripod.

It was easy to get my phone into the bracket with one hand. I took the photo by balancing my iPad on the table with my casted hand and hitting the iPad shutter release with my right hand. Pardon the reflection of my robe in the phone, lol.

For our winter in South Texas, I’m looking forward to lots of fun and creativity. At under $30 CDN, that’s a bargain for the anticipation of the possibilities this gear will provide.

“A healthy self-love means we have no compulsion to justify to ourselves or others why we take vacations, why we sleep late, why we buy new shoes, why we spoil ourselves from time to time. We feel comfortable doing things which add quality and beauty to life.”

Andrew Matthews