CHEROKEE SUN PHOTOGRAPHY: Are Monopods Safe Or Hazardous In A Crowd?

During this past week my wife and I visited The Ringling in Sarasota, which features the house that John Ringling and his wife Mable built and enjoyed for several years while he owned the Ringling Brothers Circus. The grounds also boasts a circus museum and a fantastic art museum that the Ringling's built to share their impressive art collection with the outside world. Overall, the various features of the Ringling, including the grounds themselves, will take several hours to view and fully appreciate.

When I entered The Ringling I was provided with a map and instructions on the do's and don'ts while on the property. I quickly went to the section that discussed photography and saw that they did not allow tripods and selfie-sticks as well as professional lighting equipment to be used by photographers, especially when entering any of the buildings on the site. But otherwise, cameras themselves were permitted everywhere.

Since I didn't see anything in their material about monopods I felt safe in taking it with me. And while I was outside in the gardens no one said anything to me about it. But as I went inside each building I was often told that I had to check my monopod as it was not allowed inside the residence or the museums.

At first, I just complied, but as I went from one building to the next it became clear that the rules about monopods were not uniform, so I started to ask the reason why such a rule had been made. The response was that it was a safety hazard. When I pressed further to ask why it is considered a safety hazard I got some really bizarre answers and mostly bewilderment on the part of the staff that eventually ended with a simple "Well, you will have to take that up with management." It was clear that the staff was simply lumping monopods in with tripods and most did not know the difference.

Finally, the last employee I encountered actually discussed it very reasonably with me and came to the conclusion that since it was not mentioned in the prohibited photography equipment listed in the map and brochure of the estate, it was probably alright to use. I went ahead and checked it anyway though because I didn't want anyone to get in trouble with management on my account. But she was so impressed by the discussion that she said that she intended to bring the subject up at the next staff meeting to see if she can get the unwritten policy on monopods changed.

So now, after giving it further thought, I can easily see why an estate would not allow a tripod or selfie-stick to be used onsite because they extend out away from the photographer's body and can cause an unintended accident when others pass by and don't realize that they are there. But what objection can honestly be made about a monopod? It is attached to the underside of the camera so that the lens of the camera will usually extend out farther from the photographer than the monopod itself. And as long as it is carried in an erect position it should not be unmanageable or unwieldy.

Monopods are an invaluable aid in situations where light is low, such as the inside of buildings and residences. Although they are not as sturdy and stable as a tripod, they can often make the difference between getting a sharp and clear image in low light, and not doing so. I would hate to see monopods lumped in with other equipment that can be risky when used in a crowd. So, I recommend that if you face the same situation and are prohibited from using a monopod on the grounds of safety, have a polite conversation with the staff and see if you can educate and influence them to change their mind on the issue. It will help all of the rest of your photographer brethren if you do!

Here are a few shots I took using the monopod on the grounds of the estate: