Secrets of the Platypod Name Revealed!

By Rick Sammon

Many photographers ask me, “How did Larry T come up with the name Platypod?” They add, “Does he like photographing platypuses low to the ground?” 

Well, Larry T, the inventor of the small wonder, gives his answer at the end of this blog post. Sounds believable to me. ☺

However, I think Platypod is actually an acronym! See below.

P – Pros use ‘em to get unique angles and original photographs.

L – Lets you get down low without putting your camera in the dirt/on concrete. 

A – Always keep it with you so you can shoot steady when a tripod is not allowed.

T – Terrific for shooting steady stills and videos, indoors and outdoors.

Y – You will not leave home without it once you try it!

P – Perfect for photographers who want to travel light.

O – On the go? Go Playtpod – for pro cameras and smartphones.

D – Dependable, thanks to high-quality manufacturing and materials.

Here’s an example of the P in Platypod. I placed my Canon EOS R on my Playtypod/with ball head on a ledge at the very back of this cavern in Zion National Park. This photograph is from my KelbyOne class, “Uncovering the Magic of Utah’s State and National Parks.

Speaking of KelbyOne, Scott Kelby, one of the cool dudes at the company, plays a mean electric guitar. He also takes photos and knows a bit about Lightroom and Photoshop. What’s more, he uses a Playtpod! Here’s a cool (and tack-sharp from edge to edge) photograph Scott took inside the Vatican.

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the rig Scott used for the awesome image. 

You can see Scott play guitar and teach digital photography at Photoshop World, August 21-23, 2019, in Las Vegas.

Okay, here is Larry T’s explanation of the naming: “I thought of the idea of mounting a ball head on a plate. The first name that came to mind was to call it a plate-pod as opposed to tripod. Then I went into my medical background and reflected on the fact that the word platy means plate-like, or flat in Greek. Pod also alludes to the fact that I am a pediatrician. Putting everything together suggested the word “Platypod,” which is reminiscent of the platypus – a very hard to classify animal due to its resemblance to several species, including ducks and beavers. Our little invention was also somewhat difficult to classify – because it's a tripod but not really a tripod.”

By the way, the T in Larry T stands for “Thank You,” as Larry always says “Thank you”. Among his pediatric patients, he is also known as Dr. Larry Tiefenbrunn.

Rick and his iPhone photographer wife Susan Sammon love their Platypods. Visit with Rick, who has never photographed a platypus, at www.ricksammon.com.