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Showing posts with label tripod. Show all posts

Monday, February 16, 2026

Reviewing the Huogantom Magnetic Cell Phone Tripod

"You have to order this" my friend said to me, sending the link to a little gadget. I hadn't thought I needed a handheld phone tripod but he was insistent that I order it. My friend was right, this cell phone tripod is super handy and has been helpful in so many ways; hands-free video chatting, recording videos from different angles, and reading or watching a variety of things. I have used this handy cellphone tripod on a daily basis.

Huogantom Magnetic Phone Tripod

The link my friend had sent to me was for the Huogantom phone tripod. In internet searches, there are many small cell phone tripods available. This particular design is perfect for me.

Strong magnetic attachment
sturdy aluminum alloy
versatile - desktop stand, handheld
easy vertical or horizontal orientation
carabiner clip design
Hands-free recording
easy positioning perfect for video chats, watching movies, and/or reading that online recipe.
The sturdy frame is cleverly spaced so that the tripod legs fold and store flat into the frame. the time of this writing, this tripod is rated at 5 out of 5 stars on Amazon

At the time of this writing, this tripod is rated at 5 out of 5 stars on Amazon.

My Personal Thoughts.

I hadn't been looking at additional tripods since I have a tabletop phone holder that I've liked very much. With the table top cell phone holder, it is easy to film downward angles, it is very sturdy, and it is adjustable in height. It is not easily portable but even so, I wasn't in the market for another tripod.

The carabiner type clip has been awesome in helping to keep track of the tripod during outings. I have clipped it to my yarn bag straps so that I don't have to rummage around in the bottom of my bag to find the tripod.

With this very small phone tripod (small enough to fit into my jacket pocket) I really like the magnetic attachment. It is much easier to use than the other clip designs on other phone stands, including my tabletop stand and stands I've borrowed from my friend. While the sturdy clips on those other stands ensure the phone will not fall out, I have a great deal of difficulty clipping the phone in and releasing it. Some of those spring clips are so firm that it hurts my hands and is very frustrating.

The magnetic attachment on my Huogotom tripod is so strong that the magnets click together when I'm moving the phone close to the stand. While I would not hold my phone above water, while running/hiking, or any jarring activities where my phone might bounce loose and become damaged. As a countertop tripod, that magnetic attachment is plenty strong enough. And I don't have to struggle to disengage my phone from the stand.

I have found that this small tripod also seems to be decreasing the amount of times I drop my phone around the house. Like those little Pop Sockets that increase a person's grip on their phone, this tripod increases my grip on my phone. I am developing significant grip issues and this tripod assists me by giving me more than my phone to hold on to.

Only One Minor Complaint. I ended up purchasing a different magnet sticker for my phone. Possibly because I have an Android phone and a protective case, rather than an iPhone, I used the circular magnet sticker that was included with the tripod. That magnet portion of the sticker was very strong. The adhesive portion of the sticker was not as strong and failed soon after I began using the tripod. I will admit that I am clumsy, and the failure of the adhesive may have been "operator error". It was easy enough to remedy. I purchased flat magnetic strips and what was described as "strong adhesive".

Related Links:

For better information and other reviews, check out the Huogantom Magnetic Phone Tripod on Amazon.

For a better understanding of Pop Sockets, take a peek at the Pop Socket store on Amazon.

The table top, Overhead Phone Mount stand I purchased is awesome. I love the down-views it provides so I can share videos of my crochet projects in progress. It is also very helpful for video chats and selfies. The drawback is that it is sturdy and not suitable for throwing into a bag or taking on outdoor adventures.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Thursday, September 10, 2015

Nature Photography Tips

Classes Great Way to Enhance Photography Skills

I have found that the world of photography is a never ending learning experience. I am always so excited to learn new techniques and new ideas for photographs.

The opportunities to increase your skills with your camera are everywhere you look. You might find a good book written by a photographer you admire. Studying the works of others is a great way to learn. There are also some great photographer groups on Facebook where you can view the work of others and even post your own photos. Other photo enthusiasts always seem eager to give advice and tips.

I like to take a seminar or a photography class every year. I feel that I always learn something new and many times skills that I had learned and forget to use are reinforced in these classes. When I have taken classes in the past, I have written a a blog post on them. For me the act of writing down what I have learned reinforces my learning. I hope it also helps others who read these tips.

On this page I will write on a nature photography class I am taking at our local community center. Our instructor Garry Rose has a great way of explaining concepts so that they make sense to me.

photos on this page are by the author mbgphoto

Lesson One

Introduction

In our first class the instructor gave us an introduction to nature photography. He described nature photography as anything taken outdoors that is not changed by man. Things like landscapes, wildlife, flowers, and animals would all be a part of nature photography.

We also talked about ethics for a photographer. Some key points included:

*Keep subjects safe

*Never dig up plants

*Never trim or snap plants

*Be careful not to expose nest or handle babies

A key point to remember is to leave the area looking exactly like it did when you arrived.

Know Your Subject

read or observe

It is always good to know your subject before you set out to photograph. You can do this by researching the subject or by observing what you see.

An example the instructor gave on knowing your subject is his own love of photographing dragonflies. Dragonflies are often times rather elusive but because our instructor has studied their habits he knows the best times and places to catch some great shots of dragonflies.

Know your Equipment

The best way to get to know your camera and equipment is to use them and practice with them. Our instructor encouraged the use of the histogram on our cameras to help us to determine if the light is right on our photo. This is particularly good to use on a bright sunny day when it is hard to see the screen on the camera. You can use the + or - button on your camera to lighten or darken the subject as needed.

Another camera feature that is good to know is the depth of field preview button. This will help you to determine if you have in focus what you want in focus. Check your camera manual if you don't know where your button is on the camera. The instructor gave us an assignment to help us learn about the depth of field with the various focal lengths on our camera. We were to photograph a 12 inch ruler using both the longest and the shortest focal lengths on each of our lenses. We were to use aperature priority set at F8 and make sure the ruler was in focus on each shot. I really enjoyed seeing how this changed the background in each of my photos. With my shortest focal length 18mm the house in the background is in focus as you see in this photo. Look at the photo below to see how that changes with the longer focal length.

With this lesson in mind I used my 300mm focal length to photograph a tulip in my neighbors yard. I was able to get the tulip in focus and the background blurred.

Same shot using a 300mm lens

Good Technique

The instructor gave us a lot of tips on good techniques to use during nature photography. Some of them were reinforcing techniques I already use and others were ideas that I need to incorporate into my photography.

These are some of the key points I took away from the lecture.

Always use a Tripod
Slow down and take your time. This is a great tip and one that I need to be work on.
Shoot both vertical and horizontal views.
Look for different vantage points. Everybody looks at a scene and takes it straight on. Find a way to make it different. Perhaps you might just photograph a section close up or photograph it with something interesting in the foreground.
Look for ways to frame the subject. This is one of my favorites. I love to find ways to frame my subjects as you can see in the lighthouse photo that I framed by colored leaves.

Here is a tripod that is the same brand and price range as the one that I use. While it is not the most expensive, it is not the cheapest either and I find that it works well for my needs.