In the first installment of this article, I talked about the benefits of using the Skimmer Pod II. In Part No. 2 I will talk about a very cool and interesting product that we as nature photographers can benefit from: the Puffin Pad.

Let's read more about the specifications of the Puffin Pad.

Overview:

Build:
The Puffin Pad is a light-weight alternative to the traditional beanbag. The Pad base is made of durable automotive foam and topped with a 1/2 inch of memory foam. The Puffin Pad is a simple, lightweight, and very useful product to use when photographing from your vehicle.

Benefits:

• Supports your camera with a long or short lens without damaging your equipment
• Lightweight
• Durable
• Inexpensive

Design:

The idea behind the Puffin Pad deserves a high five. It is much more lightweight than similar products on the market. However, the design causes some limitations when traveling. The main reason is because the Pad is not compact nor can it be folded flat like you would with a beanbag. The Puffin Pad was designed to be used mainly from your vehicle.

Another important factor to mention is that at 7" long, The Puffin Pad may not support larger lenses like the Canon EF 800mm L f/5.6 USM or the Nikon AF-S Nikor 600mm f/4 II lens worry free. The maximum diameter of the Canon is 6.7" while the Nikon is 6.6". That means that even when centered on top of the Pad, these lenses will be almost at the edge of the Puffin Pad, which can prove tricky when you rotate your camera and lens from horizontal to vertical for a different composition. I often find myself lifting my Canon 500mm L lens before rotating to vertical or horizontal.

In the Field:
The Puffin Pad supported my longest lens nicely while photographing from my vehicle's window. If the situation allows, you can get out of the car and set the Pad on top of your vehicle's roof and support your lens that way as well.

The Puffin Pad can be also be used in those awkward locations like a fence pole or if you are photographing from a boat.

Final Thoughts:
Overall, The Puffin Pad will serve and support your equipment well. There are endless ways of using it and the more creative you are the better the Puffin Pad will deliver!

Maxis Gamez is for the most part a self-taught photographer. He started photography as a hobby, but has now decided to devote his time and energy full time to photography. He has discovered that with photography, he has found a medium that enables him to express his creativity and use his abilities to teach and educate others with his workshops and programs. Viewing the world in a different way, he is capable of capturing wonderful images. These images have been featured in local galleries, published in nature magazines like Audubon, Shutterbug, Outdoor Photography Magazine, Nature Photographers Magazine and now published in National Geographic. To learn more please visit his website at www.gvisions.org.