My husband, who is a photographer, offers a few technical/equipment notes below that might be helpful:
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Easiest is on a step ladder.
If you want to use a pole,
monopod for camera store. Depending on the configuration of the camera connection point on the monopod, a ball head may be needed to allow the camera angle to be adjusted so that it is viewing straight down. Be sure that the monopod is sturdy enough to support
the camera weight when extended and held in this fashion. These are really designed to be used to support lenses and held vertically between the lens and ground. However, lots of people do this type of overhead shot all the time but with a high quality ($$$)
monopod.
Next trick is triggering the camera while it is in the air. Three methods are commonly used. Least expensive is to set the self timer on the camera and then position the camera in the air and wait for the shutter to click. Second method is to buy a long remote
release cable for the camera. In the past shutter releases were standard and came in all kinds of lengths, not anymore. Releases are camera specific and can be quite expensive. Last method commonly used is using a radio trigger such as a Pocket Wizard. Receiver
is mounted on the camera and transmitter is held by person holding the pole or someone who is checking the position of the camera.
Finally if you have an iPad and a BlueSLR bluetooth unit mounted on the camera, you can remotely trip the shutter from the iPad. This is also possible with a USB cable attached to a laptop running camera specific software for triggering the camera remotely.
This method also allows the captured image to be immediately downloaded to the laptop and viewed while the camera is still in position.
If you have a zoom lens on the camera that is not fairly "tight" you will find the lens extending when the camera is pointed down if it is not taped first.
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Best,
Barb
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On Sep 5, 2011, at 5:08 PM, <Andy> <Newson>. wrote:
We are looking at taking photographs of flat "Rock Pavement" using a camera on a pole.
I would appreciate any hints how this would work and or any articles out there that may describe it.
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Simon Virgo
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Geologie - Endogene Dynamik ¡©
RWTH Aachen
Lochnerstrasse 4-20
D-52056 Aachen, Germany
http://www.ged.rwth-aachen.de
Tel: +49-241-80-98438
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