We just unveiled our latest product to the Trek-Tech line, The Leg Adaptor! This little screw cap can be used on either the legs of the TrekPod Go! Pro or the TrekPod XL converting them to tripods. To gain extra height, add the upper tube of the TPod.  See a Video of Ken demonstrating how it all works on Trek-Tech’s YouTube channel. See More Product Details

I met Daniel last month in Portland at an exhibit of his Wild Image Project photography. Daniel is a photographer and adventurer who is traveling the world and photographing the earth’s last truly wild places, mostly from his kayak. This interview will give you a deeper understanding of his passion for the project and his vision of blending art, environmental activism and adventure.

In preparation for the next leg of his journey, Daniel is giving the carbon fiber TrekPod XL monopod/tripod/hiking staff a shakeout for use with his DSLR. He’s planning on using an Optera flexible tripod to mount his point shoot camera that he uses to shoot video of his experiences.

John Bentham is an award-winning photographer specializing in documentary & portraiture.
His images have been widely reproduced in periodicals & books. He photographs on assignment for magazines, record companies, design companies and advertising agencies. His clients and publications include AUDI, CitiGroup, Ericsson, Fidelity Investments, Forbes, Mercedes-Benz, Newsweek, The New York Times, People Magazine, Pfizer, Rolling Stone, Sony, Time, United Technologies and Vanity Fair.

John has photographed such public figures as Harrison Ford, Philip Glass, Valerie Plame Wilson, author Frank McCourt, SEAL, Todd Oldham, David Bowie, Uma Thurman, Mark Morris, Julianne Moore, Kofi Annan, Jessica Simpson, Jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves, Maroon 5, The Black Eyed Peas, the late Kurt Vonnegut and the immortal Evel Knievel.

John is an instructor at the Digital Photo Academy who participated in the Trek-Tech Trek New York photo walk. Here’s his take away after giving his new Trek-Tech gear a workout.

“Everything in photography is a compromise, but in some cases, you need a specific tripod. The best case tripod is a light, rugged, versatile, relatively inexpensive tripod with a decent height range. This is where the Trek-Tech products fit nicely. Using high strength materials and quality manufacturing techniques, Trek-Tech has managed to minimize weight, yet still offer height and versatility in a well built, rugged system. The tripods also disassemble, which makes them compact, and fit nicely in the location bags provided.

The Trek-Tech GO! Pro has collapsible legs, which are a nice feature on a Monopod. Ordinarily, when using a Monopod, you need to lay the camera down in the dirt, or rest it on something, to retrieve a filter out of your bag. With the Trek Tech system, you simply set your foot on the GO! Pro leg, thereby keeping the camera and lens aloft, and freeing up both hands to mount a filter (or eat lunch).

Sometimes, when working in tight spaces, there is no room to situate a tripod. No matter how you try, you can’t find room for the legs and still get the camera in the right position. With the Trek-Tech GO! Tripod, the legs are quite a bit smaller, as is the footprint, and it fits great where a conventional tripod would not.

My favorite piece of Trek-Tech gear is the T-Pod - their small, rugged, table-top tripod. It’s great for those times when you didn’t bring a tripod, and discover you needed one. Or when you’re packing really light. The T-Pod is now a permanent addition to my camera bag.

I also like the fact that the Trek-Tech system is compatible. You can take parts from the T-Pod and attach them to the GO! Pro, if you need to add an extra foot of height. You can set up a camera anywhere, between a few inches off the ground up to 6 ft, a range usually not possible in one tripod. This makes the system flexible, which is what location shooting is all about.

The Optimount is a very useful gadget. It has a universal mount that can be attached just about anywhere. Sure, you can attach it to the GO! Tripod to achieve a lower camera position, but you can also easily and quickly attach it to a chair, a table, scaffolding, tree branch, car door or roof rack (the possibilities are endless). It’s so small, you can toss it in your bag and not worry about hauling extra weight, but it’s there when you need it.”

A sweet video from the instructors who led the Digital Photo Academy’s New York Trek-Tech Trek.

Photograph by Daniel Fox - The Wild Image Project

I got the chance to meet Daniel Fox, the man behind the Wild Image Project, last Friday at the PushDot Studio in Portland. Daniel is a photographer and adventurer who is traveling the world and photographing the last truly wild places, mostly from his kayak. I spoke to him about his vision of blending art, environmental activism and adventure. You can track Daniel’s Wild Image Project trek on Kontain.

We also chatted about the gear he uses and the gear we make at Trek-Tech. From there one thing led to another. Daniel will be using the TrekPod XL carbon fiber - hiking staff, monopod and tripod - on the next leg of his expedition to Argentina. He will also be putting an Optera flexible tripod to the test. The Optera will be lashed to the deck of his kayak. His point and shoot camera, which he uses to shoot video of his adventures, will be clamped with a MagMount. We’ll let you know how it all works.

Daniel Fox - The Wild Image Project