What is not to enjoy about April in New Mexico? The times are longer, the weather conditions is warmer, and optimism is in the air. No surprise then that April – a time when additional and more people return to enjoy parks, playgrounds, trails and gardens, is also Planet Landscape Architecture Month – a month-extensive worldwide celebration of the landscape architecture job.
As a landscape architect dwelling and doing the job in the Land of Enchantment, this coming month normally reminds me of the deep and enduring connections that we, as persons and whole communities, have to outdoor areas and places. Through latest durations of lockdowns and social isolation, a lot of of us have relied on outside spaces for protected social interaction, shared expertise and personalized respite. From little household courtyards to neighborhood parks, lots of of the outdoor spaces we cherish and rely on are established by landscape architects. Landscape architects also have a hand in trails in the bosque and trailheads in the Sandia Mountains.
The Have faith in for Public Lands experiences that Albuquerque features a person of the greatest percentages of area devoted to parks in the United States: 23{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48}! Our metropolis has virtually two times as substantially community room as most other cities in our country. But opportunities to leverage the opportunity of our current public spaces are generally ignored. As many of our more mature spaces shrink or tumble into disrepair, we have to check with how we can make far better use of current spaces to satisfy emerging requires and demand.
Rehabilitating community place is an possibility for area authorities, business enterprise and group companions to operate with each other in reimagining outdated civic spaces even though setting up neighborhood possession and delight in the method. We have finished it prior to. It was a community partnership that reworked Albuquerque’s Civic Plaza from a significant expanse of empty, paved area into an exercise hub and downtown spot.
When Downtown ABQ MainStreet gained a grant from Southwest Airways to modernize Albuquerque’s Civic Plaza, they collaborated with Challenge for General public Spaces, the metropolis, the Albuquerque Conference Center, area residents, artists and College of New Mexico learners. This grassroots local community-pushed exertion set the phase for a significant renovation led by city leaders. The different stakeholders worked alongside one another to detect what they desired the new area to contain. The style, done in collaboration with neighborhood companions, made spaces of various scales like space for spontaneous play and regions for additional structured, planned enjoyment.
Just after the renovation, Civic Plaza loaded the void for a spouse and children-helpful general public space for engage in in an area that had been primarily a “playground desert.” Now, visitors assemble at the improved Civic Plaza for neighborhood celebrations, artwork and food markets, movie nights, performances, political marches and extra.
Demand for high-quality public house in cities across the United States is on the increase and not diminishing any time quickly. In 2020, New Mexico by itself observed a 10{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48} enhance in out of doors functions. Partaking community-driven partnerships in the revitalization of present general public areas can guidance our city to fulfill a escalating demand from customers for high quality general public space.
The task of generating a healthier town, and far more livable neighborhoods within just our town, belongs to all of us. On this thirty day period primarily, I’m reminded that as landscape architects we are uniquely poised to increase to this obstacle.
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Emerging artists, take note: There’s a bright spot peeking through the horizon for 2022.
Horizon, a new art space and residency program, will open its doors in downtown L.A. in February, the foundation announced on Friday. Former Whitney Museum of American Art curator Christopher Y. Lew will serve as chief artistic director of Horizon Art Foundation, traveling frequently to L.A. from his home in New York. L.A.-based May Xue, who previously steered Hong Kong’s K11 Art Foundation as general manager and director of education and institutional relations, is the initiative’s CEO.
The L.A.-based Chinese art patrons Jason Li and Harry Hu are the sole funders of the nonprofit.
Horizon’s mission?To provide emerging and midcareer artists from around the globe with resources to create experimental work in an environment unfettered by deadlines and the pressure to exhibit. Horizon will support one artist at a time for up to three months — four each year — and provide them with a place to live, studio space and a stipend for living expenses. The artists will retain sole ownership of work they create during the residency.
“We wanted to find a way to support artists that’s less goal-oriented, that’s much more open-ended where artists can take risks and experiment,” Lew says. Taking root in the city of Los Angeles, he adds, is key. Part of Horizon’s goal is “to help celebrate the real cultural richness of L.A.”
Horizon wouldn’t yet reveal its inaugural artists for 2022, all of whom have been chosen. The selection process included drawing up a list of abouttwo dozen artists; four were invited to partake in the first year of the residency. There isn’t necessarily a focus on L.A. artists, but bringing artists from around the world to Los Angeles to experience the city’s charged creative communities is part of the mission. The potential applicant list was created and reviewed by Lewand a two-personadvisory boardcomprised of Pérez Art Museum Miami’s María Elena Ortiz andthe Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis’ Wassan Al-Khudhairi. The advisory board, Lew says,will change annually.
The residency is open to artists of all backgrounds, but Horizon is “giving some focus to artists of color,” Lew adds.
Creating community around artists and connecting them with patrons is key to Horizon, Xue says.As such, the space will host artist talks, open studio tours and other public programming in its 4,800-square-foot studio space in the Fashion District.
The hope is to spark an international dialogue through art topromote cultural understanding, says Xue, whoran a three-year, collaborative artist-in-residence exchange program between K11 Art Foundation and the U.K.’s Royal Academy of Arts from 2018 to 2020.
“That experience, it helped a lot of artists to discover more about the world and also themselves,” Xue says.
Drawing on Xue’s expertise in the area, Horizonplans to openan artist-in-residence exchange programin either Beijing or Shanghai,though there’s no timeline for that yet. “We’re thinking about an exchange that can happen between Los Angeles and China and Asia in general,” Lew says. “To really have artists between the two places in residence and go back and forth.”
The Horizon team is working together in other areas as well. Li is co-founder, with Xue, of the for-profit NFT editorial platform Outland, which launched earlier this month.Xue alsoserves as Outland’s artistic director for Asia, while Lew is chief artistic director of the company.
Lew says there is no connection between the two ventures. “They’re two distinct entities,” he notes.
Hu, who is financing Horizon along with Li, works with his family’s business, aproduction company in Hangzhou, China.
Horizon aims to host artists from around the world, but because of the pandemic — and uncertainty about what travel restrictions might be in place early next year— its four inaugural artists are from North America.
All of them, however, are at pivotal points in their careers.
“It was really important for us to be able to offer an opportunity to artists that would feel transformative,” Lew says. “Many artists at that early-to-midcareer point may still have day jobs or other things they depend upon to live. And here is a chance to focus on one’s art 24/7 for the length of the residency.”
The Apostolic Library in Vatican Metropolis is house to historical writings, scarce guides and looking at rooms. Now, it is opening a small new area to the public the place present day-day artwork can be viewed next to the library’s treasures.
The very first clearly show at the area is called Tutti, the Italian word for all. It was recommended by Pope Francis’ 2020 letter known as “Brothers All.” The information appealed for environmental renewal, bigger human unity and a much more just socio-financial buy in the earth after the COVID-19 crisis.
Artist Pietro Ruffo of Italy’s money, Rome, was invited to design the to start with show. Maps and migration are amid the widespread topics of his work. At the Library, he remodeled one area into a tropical forest. In yet another space, Ruffo created a modern-day model of one of the library’s historical maps of the Nile River. He positioned the two maps aspect by aspect.
The chief of the Roman Catholic Church and Vatican Metropolis ruler, Pope Francis, introduced the Apostolic Library’s new room past 7 days. Pope Francis stated the environment was in need to have of new maps soon after COVID-19. He named for a higher sense of fraternity, or brotherhood.
“Humanity requirements new maps to find the perception of fraternity, of friendship and the prevalent superior,” he claimed. “We require a new natural beauty, that just isn’t the common reflection of ability of some but a bravemosaic of everyone’s variety.”
A perspective of the Vatican Apostolic Library, Monday, November 8, 2021, in the course of the media presentation of the exhibition ‘Tutti’ inside the Apostolic Library. (AP Image/Nicole Winfield)
The estate of former U.S. businessman Kirk Kerkorian paid for the task. Early in his time as pope, Francis had appealed for the Apostolic Library to open itself up much more to the outside world. In 2016, Francis declared the papal summer months residence in Castel Gandolfo open up to guests.
The show at the Apostolic Library is open up Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The latest present will close February 22, 2022. Readers have to request admission by way of an on-line request. The selling price of admission is about $17.
The Apostolic Library is independent from the Vatican Apostolic Archives, which is home to all the documentation from papal headquarters and embassies. Both of those the library and the archives are open to scientists on ask for.
I’m Caty Weaver.
The Connected Press noted on this story. Caty Weaver tailored it for VOA Finding out English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.
The Vatican’s Apostolic Library is opening its doorways to the normal public with a modest new exhibition area aimed at bridging its creative treasures with present-day art
ByThe Linked Press
November 8, 2021, 3:36 PM
• 2 min browse
VATICAN City — The Vatican’s Apostolic Library, which is residence to ancient manuscripts, scarce guides and looking at rooms for students is opening its doors to the typical public with a compact new exhibition area aimed at pairing its artistic treasures with contemporary artwork.
The inaugural exhibit “Tutti” (All) will take its inspiration from Pope Francis’ 2020 encyclical “Brothers All” which combines his appeals for environmental sustainability, increased human fraternity and a far more just socio-economic purchase in the article-COVID planet.
Rome artist Pietro Ruffo, for whom maps and migration are common themes, was invited to design a web site-specific exhibit in one particular of the Library’s halls, which he remodeled into a tropical forest. In a further space, Ruffo created a modern version of just one of the Library’s ancient maps of the Nile with the two functioning aspect-by-side in a glass circumstance.
Inaugurating the new space previous week, Francis explained the planet was in need to have of new maps after COVID-19.
“In this epochal transform that the pandemic has accelerated, humanity wants new maps to find the sense of fraternity, of friendship and the common good,” he stated. “We have to have a new magnificence, that is not the common reflection of electrical power of some but a courageous mosaic of everyone’s range.”
The initiative, funded by the estate of U.S. philanthropist Kirk Kerkorian, follows Francis’ enchantment early on in his pontificate for the Library to open up by itself up extra to the outside the house world. Francis has followed that line by also opening the papal summer season residence in Castel Gandolfo to the community as a museum.
The show, which runs by means of Feb. 22, is open up Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons and gives guests with a exclusive way to get into Vatican City that would in any other case be off-boundaries. Visitors will have to ask for admission in advance on the net, and the 15 euro admission cost includes the catalogue.
The Apostolic Library is independent from the Vatican Key Archives, just lately renamed the Vatican Apostolic Archives, which is property to all the documentation from the Holy See and its far-flung embassies. Both equally are open up to students upon ask for.
It pays to have one of the best tripods to hand when you’re capturing images of the night sky. These bits of kit help keep your camera steady when you’re taking your long-exposure shots. Without one, you’ll find that your images become blurred by tiny vibrations from yourself or your surroundings. Even the best cameras for astrophotography can be adversely affected by this shakiness, which is why you really need a tripod if you’re trying to capture things like the Milky Way.
When choosing the best tripod, the most important factors to consider are weight, stability, portability and price point. The majority of the so-called ‘travel tripods’ are lightweight and typically made from either carbon fiber or aluminum. Carbon fiber is much lighter than aluminum but is also more expensive. With the smaller and more compact models, the difference in weight between the two materials is almost negligible but the bigger the tripod, the more important it becomes. Another key difference to consider is that aluminum gets much colder than carbon fiber which can impact the handling and functioning at colder night temperatures.
Tripods are typically made from between three and five leg sections. Fewer sections means more over all stability but it won’t pack down into something quite as short as those with more sections. If you’re using one of the best zoom lenses for your night sky images, you’ll have to weigh up whether stability for your shots is more important than the tripod’s portability, as telephoto zooms are heavy lenses.
With these key points in mind, here are a few of our favorite tripods. And if you need more advice we have a guide to the best lenses for astrophotography, and the best camera backpacks too.
Best tripod overall
(Image credit: Benro)
Benro Mach3 TMA37C
The Benro Mach3 9X CF TMA37C is a serious bit of kit for serious astro photographers
Specifications
Material: Carbon fiber with magnesium castings
Leg sections: 3
Weight: 4.1lbs
Max load: 35lbs
Folded height: 24.6 inches
Ball head or pan/tilt head: Can purchase either separately
Reasons to buy
+Kit includes spiked feet and short centre column attachment+Intuitive, no fiddling+Sturdy leg locks make it easy to use
Reasons to avoid
–Have to buy head separately–Only one leg has foam grip–Doesn’t fit into the carry bag with the geared head attached
Despite its chunky look and feel, the Benro Mach3 9X CF TMA37C is a surprisingly light tripod. It has been built for durability, reliability and to cope well in all weathers. While this is no travel tripod, it has certainly been designed with the portability and flexibility needs of serious landscape photographers in mind and that makes it an ideal choice for dedicated astrophotographers.
The Mach3 series of tripods feature a range of configuration options and come in both carbon fiber and aluminum. At this size it makes the difference in weight between the carbon fiber and the aluminum quite significant though it also makes quite a significantly deeper dent in your wallet if you opt for the carbon fiber model.
You need to buy the head separately, which further adds to the already quite large cost, but it means you can tailor your tripod to your own specific needs and preferences.
The kit does come with a few added extras that other manufacturers would sell separately, notably a set of spiked feet and a shorter centre column for those occasions you need to get very low to the ground.
At this price ($384.95) it’s definitely an investment but the durable build quality and attention to detail means that this is designed to last.
Best for portability
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
The Peak Design Travel Tripod is a narrow, novel, and night-friendly support for full-frame DSLRs and even smartphones
The Peak Design Travel Tripod is as compact a travel tripod as you’re likely to find and it’s ideal for anyone considering all types of landscape photography, not least wide-field astrophotography. It has been very cleverly designed into a super-sleek, neat and compact package with no wasted space once folded up. Its three legs and ball-head collapse to meet together with no gaps which makes it ideal for fitting into either your daypack or your luggage.
Despite clearly being designed for travel, however, it isn’t the lightest travel tripod on the market. The construction comes in both aluminum and carbon fiber versions but the reduction in weight with the carbon fiber one is accompanied by a higher price. We think the aluminum option at 3.4lbs is a better option when it comes to value for money as the carbon fiber model is only a tiny bit lighter a 2.8lbs and not really worth the extra cash.
Despite being made from five leg sections, the fullest height of the tripod is about ten inches shorter than similar models on the market which might pose problems for the taller among you.
The Arca-Swiss quick-release tripod plate is incredibly stable and can carry loads of up to 20lbs but it does require a hex key to affix the camera in place which isn’t so easy to do in the dark. Another neat travel feature the model incorporates is a swivel lever to rotate the ball head and it means there’s nothing protruding and getting in the way.
The Peak Design Travel Tripod is a hugely impressive product for astrophotographers who are after something highly mobile with a fast set-up and takedown, a great performance outdoors, and a compact size when packed up.
Best for flexibility
(Image credit: Vanguard)
Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB
The Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB tripod is solid, sturdy and flexible option for mirrorless and DSLR cameras
Specifications
Material: Aluminum
Leg sections: 3
Weight: 5.38 lbs
Max load: 15.4 lbs
Folded height: 28.15 inches
Ball head or pan/tilt head: Ball head
Reasons to buy
+Multiple positions, including low to the ground +Solid and stable+Easy to put up and take down in the dark
Reasons to avoid
–Required hex key–Heavier than other similar models on the market
The star attraction of the Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB is its sheer flexibility and the various multiple positions it can be put into. Besides the standard tripod configuration you can splay the legs from upright at 25º all the way to almost 90º to the centre column. Additionally the center column comes out and can be angled at 90º from the now-splayed legs and means the camera can be as low as ten inches from the ground. This gives it much greater stability when capturing star trails with very long exposures.
With only three leg sections on each leg, it means there are only two clips to fix into place when setting up the tripod, which we found sturdy enough to keep the camera still in light to moderate breeze during long exposures. It was easy enough to put up and take down in the dark. The same can’t be said for the connector plate which requires a hex key, though given that two plates are provided with the tripod, the idea is likely that you simply leave it on your camera full time rather than remove it at the end of a shoot.
It’s a good all-round tripod if you dabble in a range of different types of photography but for astro-specific photography, its bulk and weight might make it something you might think twice about setting out with at night, especially if walking or hiking to your chosen vantage point is part of your plan. That said, it’s a great, versatile piece of kit for the price tag.
Best for height
(Image credit: 3 Legged Thing)
3 Legged Thing Punks Brian tripod with AirHed
The 3 Legged Thing Brian tripod is a premium travel tripod that’s a joy to handle and is an ideal choice for astro and landscape photographers using either mirrorless and DSLR cameras
Specifications
Material: Carbon fiber
Leg sections: 5
Weight: 3.1lbs
Max load: 30lbs
Folded height: 16.14 inches
Ball head or pan/tilt head: Ball head
Reasons to buy
+Great build quality+Tactile bubble grip knobs+Light and portable
Reasons to avoid
–Slight ‘falling into place’ with longer lenses–Hex key plate attachment –Higher end of price spectrum for this type of tripod
The Brian tripod by 3 Legged Thing is a highly portable travel tripod that incorporates some pretty solid engineering design. It’s simultaneously one of the tallest tripods when fully erect yet also one of the most compact once folded down. While it’s not the lightest of the travel tripods available, at 3.1lbs, it’s certainly something that isn’t too cumbersome to carry around for a day or night. It has a premium feel to it but it also has a more premium price tag than its nearest competitors though, overall, we think it’s worth it.
The construction features tactile bubble grips on the knobs and leg extenders and it’s easy to put up and take down in the dark. The camera connects with a hex key rather than a D-ring which can get a bit annoying but a tool is provided for it and it attaches to the body of the tripod with a carabiner.
The Brian tripod by 3 Legged Thing can carry weights of up to 30lbs and although we discovered instances of the camera ‘falling into place’ once affixed in its compositions with a very long lens we think it’s more about weight distribution than weight itself, it seemed to happily take the weight of a DSLR with a shorter zoom lens attached. But this is really the only small criticism for a piece kit that otherwise meets the needs of an enthusiastic astrophotographer.
Best aliminum tripod
(Image credit: Amazon)
As light and as solid a travel tripod as you’re likely to find, the Manfrotto Befree Advanced Travel Tripod’s aluminum rig proves apt with full-frame astrophotography gear
Specifications
Material: Aluminum
Leg sections: 4
Weight: 3.28 lbs
Max load: 19.48 lbs
Folded height: 15.7 inches
Ball head or pan/tilt head: Ballhead
Reasons to buy
+Lightweight aluminum build+Excellent build quality+Doesn’t droop with full-frame DSLR
Reasons to avoid
–Not space-efficient–Relatively large when collapsed–Not full height
Small carbon fiber tripods may be the lightest around, but being mid-size and made from aluminum, the Manfrotto BeFree Advanced Travel Tripod keeps to both a reasonable height as well as price tag. Photographers after the perfect tripod to take out at night require three things: a lightweight tripod that is easy to carry, fixings that make it quick to set up and take down, and a solidity and rigidity that can be relied upon to keep your camera steady even in windy conditions. The Manfrotto Befree Advanced Travel Tripod has all of that, being one of the the lightest aluminum travel tripods we’ve tried, though perhaps it is not the most efficiently designed for transit as it takes up a lot of space in luggage. But it’s exceptional build quality and reliability in the field make it a sound choice.
It has an unusual fold-down configuration whereby the three legs fold through 180º to meet the ball head. It seems fiddly to begin with but it’s easy to do in the dark once you’ve got the knack.
The four section legs are fixed into place with soft twists and it can be erected to a full height of 59 inches. The camera connects to the plate with a D-ring and it’s compatible with both the RC2 and Arca-Swiss plate attachment.
The same model is available in carbon fiber and weighs a little bit less at 2.75lbs.
Best for quick assembly
(Image credit: Amazon)
The Manfrotto 190 Go! tripod is a popular and versatile support for outdoor and landscape photographers
Specifications
Material: Carbon fiber (also available in aluminum)
Leg sections: 4
Weight: 4.1lbs
Max load: 14.33 lbs
Folded height: 22.5 inches
Ball head or pan/tilt head: XPro ball head
Reasons to buy
+Fast operating M-lock mechanism+90° column for horizontal positioning
Reasons to avoid
–No hook for adding stability–Not all models have a carry bag–Doesn’t come with a strap
The Manfrotto 190 Go! tripod series was launched at the end of 2017, but it proves to be enduringly popular with hobbyists and advanced photographers who need a lightweight yet sturdy base for their camera.
The range includes several models: you can choose from either a carbon fiber or magnesium construction, several different heads and number of leg sections but every 190 Go! tripod is defined by how quick it is to operate. The highest end model is probably too expensive for amateurs or casual photographers but the aluminum version is cheaper.
The easy assembly is thanks to an “M-lock” mechanism, a super speedy twist lock that allows you to unlock the leg and set the right height up in just a few seconds. Other key features include a versatile 90° central column that can swing out into a horizontal position, plus a Link attachment for adding extra accessories. The leg positions can be held at 25°,46°,66°, or 88°.
The whole combo weighs 4.1 lbs and supports a maximum load of 14.3 lbs.
As well as making for a speedy setup, these unobtrusive M-locks mean that the legs themselves are streamlined, with no protruding parts that might catch on a bag when you want to pack the tripod away. The rubber grips on the locks themselves are easy to get hold of even in the dark.
Best for studio photographers
(Image credit: Manfrotto)
Manfrotto MK055XPRO3 BHQ-2
Manfrotto is one of the most well-known, popular and, crucially, reliable brands in tripod technology.
Specifications
Material: Aluminum
Leg sections: 3
Weight: 6lbs
Max load: 22lbs
Folded height: 28 inches
Ball head or pan/tilt head: Ball
Reasons to buy
+Affordable price+Comes with the new XPRO ball head+90-degree adjustable center column+Easy Link connector
Reasons to avoid
–Feet not interchangeable–Doesn’t come with carrying bag–No weight hook
The Manfrotto MK055XPRO3 BHQ-2 is designed for studio photographers who often go out on shoots. Made from aluminum, it has the weight and sturdiness of a studio tripod but is portable enough to pack away neatly and carry for short periods. Although it’s primarily designed for mirrorless camera systems, tests suggest that it can also happily carry a medium format rig too.
The legs are extended and secured with a new power lock system that uses flip locks rather than leg twists. One of the key innovative features of this model is the Easy Link connector which is designed to attach arms, holders, lamps and reflectors. Again, things that are much more useful to a studio photographer working outdoors than an astrophotographer but if you’re planning on using lights creatively with the backdrop of the night sky, this could well be the tripod for you.
Best value for money
(Image credit: Benro)
Benro Slim
The Benro Slim travel tripod is everything a beginner landscape or astrophotographer needs to get started in long exposure photography
Specifications
Material: Carbon fiber or aluminum
Leg sections: 4
Weight: 2.2lbs
Max load: 8.8lb
Folded height: 20 inches
Ball head or pan/tilt head: Ball head
Reasons to buy
+Lightweight and compact+Good value for money+Durable construction
Reasons to avoid
–Some features cheaply finished–Slightly sticky ball head –Some longer lenses have to ‘fall into place’ when composing shots
You can’t beat the Benro Slim travel tripod for those nights of trudging between vantage points or those days when you might need a tripod but don’t quite know what the day holds in store. This lightweight and well crafted tripod has been designed with travel and movement in mind and has everything a beginner landscape or astro photographer needs to get started in long exposure photography.
Although the Benro Slim was developed for the increasing popular mirrorless systems, it can also handle the weight of a DSLR and zoom lens remarkably well too. Not only that, it offers the impeccable build quality from a trusted brand but at a price point that won’t break the bank. It’s stable, reliable, compact and, crucially, lightweight enough to just always have it with you in your camera pack.
It’s available in both carbon fiber and aluminum versions which differ only in weight and price point; the aluminum one is slightly weightier but slightly cheaper. It’s very easy to put up and take down and features anodised aluminum leg twists that secure into place with half a twist. It uses a standard Arca-Swiss connector plate that slides in easily and is secure enough for a range of mirrorless and DSLR lenses.
Best for awkward spots
(Image credit: Joby)
Joby GorrillaPod 5K
A great addition to your photography kit, the Joby GorrillaPod 5K tripod can be used when the environment allows but it’s not a replacement for a full-sized tripod
Specifications
Material: Aluminum, ABS plastic, stainless steel and TPE
Leg sections: 1
Weight: 1.6lbs
Max load: 11 lbs
Folded height: 13 inches
Ball head or pan/tilt head: Ball
Reasons to buy
+Small, lightweight +Wobble-free when wrapped around something stable+Can hold surprisingly heavy kit
Reasons to avoid
–Limited positioning options–Not a full-sized tripod
The Joby GorrillaPod 5K Tripod is quite a different beast to most tripods because it’s made of articulated ball joints and doesn’t have extendable legs or the complicated knobs and levers of a bigger product. It’s small and compact at 20 inches in length and a total weight of 1.6lbs which makes it very portable and versatile
It’s designed to be fixed in place by twisting into shape around railings, trees, just about anything in the urban landscape as well as rocks and craggy natural landscape features. It can also be used free-standing but it isn’t quite as stable in this configuration.
It’s made from aluminum, plastic and stainless steel which makes it strong enough to carry the weight of a DSLR plus zoom lens as well as lighter equipment and smartphones. The main drawback, however, is that you’re dependent on what you can affix it to in order to create your composition so it doesn’t have quite the same level of versatility as a standard designed tripod.
It’s a great option if you’re just starting out with long exposure photography but for those who are more into it, it’s more of a great addition to your kit for those ‘just in case’ moments rather than a replacement for a full-sized tripod.
Other considerations
As you can see from our selection, there’s a lot to think about when investing in a tripod. But they’re essential if you’re combining them with any of the best cameras.
Some people argue that travel tripods don’t always offer enough height for easy camera operation but that depends entirely on how tall you are and it’s not quite so important for star trail photography. Most of the models we’ve reviewed here have splayed legs that allow the camera to be set up quite close to the ground which is a far more stable spot for long-exposure night sky photos.
Tripod feet are generally made from a thick rubber that has good traction on an array of surfaces and many – but not all – are designed with the option to unscrew them and attach either spiked or clawed feet for better purchase on rougher ground.
Tripod legs are extended and secured with either flip or twist locks. The twist lock design tends to be more secure but some manufacturers, notably Manfrotto, have devised some particularly secure flip locks.
Along with this, you should keep in mind the weight, stability, portability and price of your tripod. If you’re prioritising one of the features, you might have to sacrifice on some of the others.
