I have always loved taking pictures and although not a professional, I of course want my pictures to look as best as I possible. For quite some time, I wanted to get one of these gadgets to aid me in my quest and it was at the beginning of this year that I finally bit the bullet and treated myself to one.

What it is?
The Joby gorilla pod is a clever little contraption indeed. A simple idea of the tripod which was adjusted slightly to make what is already a great idea into an even better one. The gorilla pod can be twisted and turned so that you can literally use your camera anywhere you like to get the best shots possible. It can be twisted around things to get in places that normally wouldn't be possible and generally get angles that without the gorilla pod, would probably be impossible.
Made with three twisty and adaptable legs the gorilla pod I have is suitable for a compact camera but, you can also purchase for SLR's too which are made a bit thicker and sturdier to cope with the heavier weight. Only tiny really for a tripod, it is also easy enough to take around with you without it being a huge burden as it is very lightweight indeed.



Packaging:
The gorilla pod comes packaged fairly simply in a hard plastic see through cover with a simple piece of card inside to show you how to attach. Other than that it is not fancily wrapped at all but, I am happy with this if it means the cost is kept down.



Attaching it to your camera:
Every digital camera generally has a small screw hole underneath to enable a tripod to be attached. The gorilla pod is made to the standard width and therefore should fit all types. Attaching is really so easy as all you do is simply screw the gorilla pod into this and it is done. You can choose to attach just the small top base of the gorilla pod which can be taken apart from the legs section by a tiny clip and then leave this on your camera so then when you need to attach the gorilla pod, it is a case of just sliding the legs on rather than actually twisting it into the screw. There is even a small ring to turn that will stop it from falling off. This does make it easier for if you are going around taking pictures and obviously don't want to have to keep screwing it on and instead just be able to quickly clip it into place.



Using it:
The gorilla pod really is so very adaptable. I was worried my camera would be too heavy and I would find a great place to put it and then it wouldn't stay in place but, I needn't have worried! I find in particular for a start it is great if wanting to s whilst on holiday of myself and hubby as I can put it on a wall say that might be too low and use the gorilla pod to tilt the camera up so we do not have to crouch down. Another ideal is for landscapes where I have a perfect angle but, it involves trying to keep absolutely still whilst trying to hold the camera in a tricky angle. The gorilla pod means I can set the angle and then put the self-timer on maybe just for a couple of seconds so that the camera is perfectly still. The world is your oyster though and there have also been many occasions where I have gone out without it and thought that if only I had it with me when it came to taking a certain shot so sometimes it comes in handy in places you hadn't really even thought of!



Price:
When I bought my gorilla pod I paid £11.49 from Play.com and they still have them priced at this much now. You can buy them at various online stores and prices are very similar everywhere you look although you may find them slightly cheaper on places like amazon through sellers but, of course will then pay postage on top anyway.



Overall opinion:
To be honest, once I purchased mine, it still took me about a month before I even got around to using it but, once I did, I couldn't believe I hadn't bought one sooner! It is the perfect little companion to take with you on holiday if you know you will be taking a lot of pictures and once you start using it you find that when you come to take a picture, you are looking for where you can put the camera to give you even better shots and unusual positions!
The gorilla pod also comes in a variety of colours too so if you want it to match your camera then you can buy one of the coloured ones and generally they are all roughly the same price. I would have liked the pink one but, it was out of stock and I wasn't willing to wait longer once I decided to purchase.
Overall I think for the money, this is a great little gadget and one that now I wouldn't be without. I would urge anyone who likes taking pictures to go out and buy one of these as they really are a great gadget to have.