Gave my 2nd son, another naturally gifted photographer, a UNI-LOC (very versatile) tripod a couple years ago. Never used it. OK, awkward to use without a ballhead, Actually that was the second run through of that sequence of events, but the last pair, including a very nice Gitzo ballhead, got lost in somewhere Hawaii haze. Anyway I sent him another decent ballhead.
He's since (finally!) began using it after I showed him some longer flowing water exposures (full seconds instead of 1/100th's).
His site:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonnyhayseed/Now, to get him to use some processing software to reveal a bit more of what his photos don't show but his eye saw. My favorite was a total bust.