How To Buy And Use A Mini-Tripod With Your Mobile Phone

I just took a photo with my mobile phone on a tripod, for the first time. Success? What took me so long?

Problem
For years I had seen people setting up their mobile phones on desks to record themselves giving a speech. I had also seen people set up a mobile phone on a tripod to take a wide-angle photo of a group, set the timer and run to join the group.

I had suggested that a group I belong to should invest in a tripod so that members and visitors could record themselves speaking.

I recall the format: attention, interest, desire, action.

Why record yourself?

Attention
You can share your photos and make friends and win kudos. Keep in touch with guests.

Equally important, look at the photo. The camera makes you pay attention to yourself and your surroundings. The camera does not lie. Friends will be polite. You look in the mirror and from the front you look okay. But from the back, the mobile phone photo or video reveals, your hair is uncombed.

Hair - Bald Patches and Roots
Your camera says that when you walk onto the stage everybody can see your bald spot. Back view shows the roots of your hair are a different colour. Nobody will tell you that. The camera will tell you.

Interest - Your Outfit Analysed
The camera shows if your shoes are down at heel, or your shirt is hanging untidily below your jacket. If you got your appearance, your look, just right, the camera tells you that you looked wonderful, even if everybody else was too busy to take time to congratulate you.

The Room Revealed
The camera will tell you that the room looks a mess and a fire hazard with bags in the aisles. The Sargeant-at-arms responsible for the room set up and health and safety should be like the air hostess before take-off. He or she should walk up and down the aisles to check the route to the exit is clear and ask for obstructions to be removed, before they trip up somebody running up the aisle to speak on stage.

Desire
Yes, I had wanted to record for years. The camera can be set up on the front table. No need to have yourself on recorded telling somebody else, 'Press here'. If other people are too busy with their own speeches, never mind, you can record youself.

In Focus
The other great thing about the tripod is that you can take photos indoors, at night, in poor light and artificial light, with less risk of camera shake.

Action
How did I do it? The first surprise was that the tripod was so cheap. I already had a tripod. I must have bought it from the Poundland Shop in Harrow, London, England. The tripod was still attached to its backing, which said that it came from Birmingham, which is on many items supplied to the Poundland Shop.

So it had cost me only £1!

First step was to cut the plastic ties, relasing the tripod from the instructions and backing and pop the tripod into my bag. The tripod folds up small.

At the venue, second step was to attach the camera. I struggled with this. I was trying to pull the supports sideways and they clearly would not go. I asked my friend Anand for help and the problem was isntantly solved. You really have to be logical. It's like those taps in toilets. Process of elinination. If the door won't push, try pulling. If it won't go up sideways, try up and down. The camera was fixed by pulling the grip upwards, inserting the camera into the space, and letting the grip back down.

USING THE TIMER
At the end of the evening, we took a group photo. Another expert came to my aid. He set the camera up at the back of the room, checked everybody could be seen (small epople at the back come forward into the front row). He set the timer and ran to join us.

Afterwards, I went to take a photo but nothing happened. The camera was still set to timer so there was a delay.

REMOVING THE TIMER!
I ran after the photographer and asked him: 'How do I turn off the timer, and set the timer?'

He showed me that on an LG phone, the timer is in settings. You can move the timer through three settings, three seconds, ten seconds, and off.

Practising Using A Tripod
Before setting off to a meeting, try out your new tripod. Go onto the internet and type in the brand of your phone and the question, how do I set the timer.

Practice doing it at home. No tripod? Ask to see somebody else's and ask how the delay device works. Now that you know how to use it, you will be more inclined to buy one for yourself.

Buying a Tripod
If you don't have a tripod, look for one next time you are in a camera shop. You don't see one displayed?  Ask if they have one? Too expensive? Ask if they have a cheaper model. They might have a different one. Or they might mutter, "You can get one down the road in ... shop.'

Alternatively, look in a budget shop. You might also get one cheaply on the internet.

Happy snapping!

If you are running a speaking club or a photography training session, look for a cheap tripod to record your training, or to demonstrate the tripod to your pupils.

Harrow, London, England has both a Poundland and a One Pound Shop. Keep checking because their  stocks change all the time.

A miniature tripod from a budget store is also an inexpensive gift which is small enough to go in a Christmas stocking for children or adults. You'll be surte to get good use from it, taking pictures of the family's Christmas dinner.

Useful Websites
Lazada
A sturdy tripod at S$16.99
https://www.lazada.sg/products/heavy-duty-tripod-ubeesize-phone-and-camera-tabletop-mini-tripod-with-cell-phone-clip-holder-for-iphone-smartphoneswebcams-compact-camera

You Tube Demo of Poundland tripod


Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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White Towelling Slippers And Flip-Flops - Reinforcing slippers

At home and when travelling I like to wear slippers indoors. On holiday I like to pack slippers. If I am travelling light, I don't want to pack heavy shoes. Light slippers are a useful spare pair. Besides, if your daytime shoes are dirty or wet, it's good to take them off and wear slippers in the hotel bedroom. Slippers are good for keeping the carpet clean, and letting your feet breathe.

Hotel Bedrooms
On holidays and conferences I stay in hotels and university accommodation. In hotel bedrooms I don't want to go barefoot and risk stubbing my toes against the base of the bed or chairs with splayed legs. I put on slippers even when padding from the bedroom to the en suite bathroom.

If somebody knocks at the door I like to be wearing slippers. It looks so sloppy and undressed to be padding about barefoot.

I am not sure the carpeted bedroom floors are clean. I could pick up veruccas from a bathroom floor. Or slip on a wet floor. As for the area in front of the toilet ... !

But traditional towelling slippers are often made man-size so I have started to keep one pair for males and visitors, another sewn to suit my smaller feet. Sewing towelling slippers to make them smaller is a project at home before I go on holiday. I can finish in the hotel on a rainy day or when I'm waiting for room service. I just need to ask for a sewing kit, or make sure I have one packed in the front of my travelling bag.

Sewing Slippers
I am still working on adapting my white towelling slippers. My years-old white towelling slippers are my experiment in sewing slippers. I have not had the courage to make myself slippers, yet. But I am working on the old slippers. I have turned up the back of the too long slippers. I inserted a piece of white lace cut from an old bra. The link piece's main purpose is to hold up the back more securely, also to stop my foot from slipping back and crushing the back.

Cheap Slippers
I am not short of slippers. I have a pair of green open back slippers from a Pound Shop, which cost only £1. However, 'waste not want not' is my motto.

My favourite and smartest slippers were silk wine-colour backless slippers.  I wore them worn every day.  After about a year the part under the heel wore through.

They came from Patra, second hand on Ebay. I looked for another. But they were a one-off opportunity. Probably an oddment, clearance stock. Replacements were unobtainable, neither available at a reduced price on eBay, nor even full price from Patra.

Repairing Silk Slippers
Eventually I sewed a piece of ribbon over the worn part. Another six months and the ribbon had worn through. I shall have to do it again.

Improving Fit
But whilst I have the ribbon and the mood, I am wondering whether I should sew some more. I would like to add a ribbon running from the part across the toes horizontally back around the heel, just a long piece of ribbon. I could either sen down all the way around, or, more simply, neatly and quickly, sewn only the width of the ribbon at either side at the front.

Adjusting Straps
How would I get the ribbon on and off the back of my heel? Too tight and it's a nuisance. Too loose and it will slip off.

Elastic
One solution is to use elastic instead of ribbon. But that's often available in all widths only in black and white. Colours are harder to match and rarer.

On white slippers, white elastic would work. You could make a long strap entirely of elastic, which would involve less time sewing. Alternatively, sew on a long ribbon, with a short elastic insert either at the back behind the ankle (so long as it does not rub). If you sew neatly, a short piece inserted where the ribbon joins the piece over the toes would be good.

Ribbons
To make it fit exactly, you could have two ribbons and tie them in a bow. Two equal ribbons could tie in a bow behind your ankle. Or one piece of ribbon longer, you could tie a bow on the outside of your food.

Buckles
Another alternative is to take buckles off an old pair of sandals.

If and when I sew more slippers, I shall show you the pictures in a later post. See my previous post and photos on adapting over-large white towelling slippers.

The slippers are not ultra-smart. but they are just right for bathroom to breakfast at home. Even if you do not sew neatly, the white cotton disappears into the towelling.

Decorative Braid Option
I am so pleased with the comfortable fit of my slimmed down towelling slippers, that I am now considering investing more time in sewing parallel lines of ribbon to decorate the toes along the sewn area. If you had an untidy line of sewing, or the wrong colour cotton, you could conceal it under decorative braid. Best of all, the lines will make the wide slippers look narrower.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.

Bella's Blooms tips for keeping plants moist whilst you travel

I looked at the plants in the new Bella's Blooms shops and wondered, how do you keep your plants alive if you are away travelling for a long weekend or a two week or longer holiday? Bella has several suggestions.

1 Aqua bouquets, sold by Bella's Blooms, come with a container like a vase underneath with water to keep your flowers fresh.
2 If yo've bought a plant from her or have one already and want to keep it most whilst you're away, you can buy a relatively inexpensive water dispenser from the pound shops.
3 Make your own water dispenser(s) from a plastic bottle such as a Coca-Cola bottle. After finishing your drink, cut off the sealed end of the bottle, place one end in the soil beside your plant and pour water into the bottle.

Visit Bella's Blooms, opened April 2015 in Hatch End, at Pickwick Walk, Uxbridge Road, Middlesex, near Hatch End station.
bellasblooms.co.uk

Angela Lansbury B A Hons is an author, travel writer and photographer. Also an English language and literature tutor, creative writing and speech workshop leader.  See more about Angela Lansbury author in YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook.