Platypod products help eliminate a blind spot

Words by Gunnar Hood
Edited by Eryka Bagwell

For over 45 years, I have enjoyed photography as a hobby. From capturing my kids playing sports to documenting travel adventures, photography has been a wonderful creative outlet.

The Ultra was the first of many Platypod products that I added to my gear bag. Compared to a regular tripod, Platypod challenges me to think differently about the images I capture. Instead of typical eye or hip-level shots, getting low with the Ultra opens up a new and more interesting perspective.

As empty nesters, my wife and I bought a small motorhome last year to extend our travel adventures beyond day trips from a hotel room. The RV has allowed us to explore many amazing places across our country.

When we bought our RV, we laughed at the fact that it was equipped with a useless rear-view mirror, the result of a Sprinter chassis being converted to a motorhome. The laughter stopped quickly as we realized we had a large blind spot directly behind us. The Sprinter has a backup camera that only works when shifted into reverse.

Other RV owners suggested adding a Wi-Fi camera paired with an iPad mini to replace the rear-view mirror. This turned out to be a great solution for us, but it presented a new challenge: finding a sturdy mount to hold the iPad mini.

I tried a couple of different windshield suction cup mounts, and while the suction cups held the magnet holding the iPad simply wasn't strong enough. A road bump that would go unnoticed in a typical car would send the iPad flying.

Remembering that Platypod challenged me to think differently about my photos, it occurred to me that a couple of Platypod products might be the solution I needed. Replacing the magnetic mount on the iPad with a mechanical mount was the first step. I then attached that mount to the Platypod Elbow, which I attached to the Platypod Super Mini Clamp. This created a very rigid support that was infinitely adjustable.

Remember how I said the original rear-view mirror was useless? It was, but the metal stub that held that mirror became the perfect place to attach the Super Mini Clamp.

Now, my iPad mini is not only securely mounted as my virtual rear-view mirror, but the Platypod Elbow and Platypod Super Mini Clamp are always with me for those times when I want to use them for a creative shot.

While these Platypod products weren’t designed with my use case in mind, it does show their versatility can inspire creative solutions.