Bracket Joy (?)

Tripods, are an item that I use for perhaps 80% of my projects.
Why?  Stability and sharpness.
Especially when I'm shooting outdoors or table-top projects. To say that these are important issues as a photographer goes without saying.

I have a tripod that is big, heavy(ish) and versatile. This things is a beast of a machine that is designed to carry the weight of a large format film camera.  In fact I used the same model in college when I shot 90% of my assignments on an Arca-Swiss 4x5 view camera. It had to be stable.

These days I have sold off my 4x5 camera and solely use 35mm DSLR equipment. That isn't to say that I no longer need strong equipment. Not in the least. Stability is still a priority. Hence the point of this post.

For years I was traditionalist when it came to camera gear. I went with the flow and did what others were doing.
And then I discovered that amazing creation, the ball-head.
Well certainly changed the way I used my camera and tripod combination. Not only did I have flexibility but speed as well. I love(d) it.  I would never go back to the original head with it's extra weight and clumsiness of use.

When I bought that ball-head I had already heard about this cool accessory. The "L" bracket.
So research I did make. And knowledge I did acquire.
Within an hour of time I was sold.
It just made sense.
Why had I not bit the bullet and made the purchase years ago, I don't know. But now I did.

The point of the "L" bracket is two fold; 1)keep the camera lens in the same position when changing from horizontal to a vertical orientation, and 2)to maintain a stable working environment. 

These are game changers in many types of photography.
Now, there are added bonuses of being able to create simple panoramic images and cutting down on weight etc. But the primary points of interest for me and many others are the 2 points clarified earlier.

I've had it mounted on my camera for the past 3 months, so getting out in the field and really putting it to work is the next order of day. I'm completely convinced that I made a wise decision. If you are a tripod shooter, I highly advise you to do the same.

My version is from Kirk Enterprise Solutions in the USA. I paid about $100 with shipping. Well worth the small investment.
There are a number of custom builds to suite any camera out there, as well as a universal version (which I bought) to cover any that may no longer be in production.

Again, if you shooting on a tripod, go grab your wallet and find one of these gems. Your shooting with improve, your joy of photography will be maintained. You will thank me later.
Have fun.
Keep shooting.