Jon Sienkiewicz

There were so many three-legged accessory creatures at the last Photo Plus Expo in New York that for a moment I thought I was at a petting zoo in Chernobyl. Seriously—I dreamed I was surrounded by a herd of tripedal giraffes with skinny, hairless legs. The experience made me realize that for most photographers, choosing the right tripod is more difficult than searching for the right emoji on a smartphone while wearing mittens. Henceforth and therefore, here’s a non-zoological look at a trio of terrific tripods.

Photojournalist as conquering hero and Hollywood glamour photographer as sleazebag, TV and radio shows from the recent past portray cameramen as predictable-but-likable stereotypes. Thanks to YouTube and SiriusXM we can still enjoy the exploits of these 1950s photogs.

Any craftsman will tell you that it’s important to have the right tool for the job. The same goes for photography and video production. Here are three excellent tools that you’ll want to own.

A tripod is the only accessory that makes every image sharper. Premium British tripod manufacturer 3 Legged Thing just introduced accessories that greatly expand tripod applications for all content creators: the 3 Legged Thing Ultra Plates. There's also an accessory for these new accessories: The Thingy.

3 Legged Thing Ultra Plates (and the chance to score a Thingy) are being offered on Kickstarter NOW. Backers who pledge within the first 48 hours receive bonus discounts.