Smartphone monopod with use restriction enforcement

A photographic monopod, comprising:

• an extendable shaft;
• a bracket for fixing a photographic device at a first end of the extendable shaft;
• a grip at a second end of the extendable shaft, opposite to the first end of the extendable shaft;
• a shaft extension sensor for sensing a degree to which the extendable shaft is extended;
• and
• a logic circuit for receiving a threshold value, receiving the degree to which the extendable shaft is extended from the shaft extension sensor, and generating an alert when the degree to which the extendable shaft is extended exceeds the received threshold value.

A method for controlling a camera function within a smartphone, comprising:

• mounting the smartphone to an end of an extendable shaft;
• sensing an extent to which the extendable shaft has been extended;
• transmitting an indication of the extent to which the extendable shaft has been extended to a logic circuit of the extendable shaft;
• and
• preventing the smartphone from capturing an image when it is determined, by the logic circuit, that the extent to which the extendable shaft has been extended exceeds a threshold.