I’m clumsy, it’s because I’m tall, and sometimes getting to that perfect location to take a photograph is a real chore for me. Recently, while in England, a friend made me trek up Twistelton Scar to photograph an area that is simply amazing. Before we started the climb, she loaned me one of her walking sticks, cause I was whining. I whine alot when I’m about to start a long hike. Well, gosh, the walking stick really helped me get up the hill (I would describe it as a mountain, but that’s because I live in Florida). And after our six-hour trek, I returned the walking stick to my friend with my thanks.

When I returned from England to Florida I thought about how useful the walking stick was for me. It helped me get across streams filled with slippery rocks, it helped me climb rocky areas, and it kept me from falling down on icy rocks at the top of the scar. So, I thought, well, I need to buy one to take with me on my next photo travel adventure. Then, I got to looking at my monopod, duh, I usually pack one on a trip. Why not turn the monopod into a walking stick? Course, it is a walking stick as it is and needs no modifications. That is, except for the screw head at the top, the one you mount into your camera or lens. It protrudes out. And it does not have the refined look I wanted. So, I got to thinking about something that I could screw on top of the monopod that would make it look cool. So, I went into my garage and started looking around. I found an old cabinet knob that had the right screw diameter. I just screwed it onto the monopod, and walla, I now have a cool looking walking stick that serves two purposes, one for walking in tough terrain, and one for use with my camera.

Cabinet knobs come in an incredible array of styles and sizes. Some of them have really cool metal designs. Like this one made of pewter and has a raised sea turtle. I like turtles. A trip to a local building supply store might be a good idea. There are so many styles available it is likely that you will have a tough time deciding which one looks best on your monopod. The key is to find a cabinet knob that has the right screw size. Most monopods that screw into a camera or lens directly are 1/4″ in size. Just look around for a cabinet knob that has that diameter and your’re in business.

And now, when I’m in Scotland, I can walk into a pub and not be concerned about what others might think about me using a monopod as a walking stick, cause it really looks cool. And to think, I almost bought an unnecessary walking stick for lots of bucks when I already owned the perfect solution. And, BTW, sometimes when I’m roaming around the swamps of Florida, I run across a rattle snake. The monopod is really handy to move it out of my way.

BTW, stop by Photo Travel Review, an exciting new website that myself and two other photographers have created, and check out our Gear Tab for more suggestions on useful stuff.