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Overhead setup

DDTJRAC

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What are the options for shooting something directly overhead from about 4 to 5 feet? A tripod like device, but not a tripod.

Thanks
 
Construction scaffolding or a basket lift. Both could be a bit shaky though.
 
If the subject is not too big and your camera is not too heavy or bulky (4x5, motorized 2-1/4), a horizontal arm can be used with your tripod and a counterweight. You might be able to locate a Gitzo Explorer that has a rotating arm instead of a center post. Another thought is a copy stand on a table with the camera support or post rotated so you can shoot something on the floor.
 
BTW, I don't know what you are shooting, but this shot was made with a large SLR mounted on a boom arm about 6 feet above the floor.
 
Not sure if you are trying to shoot something on the floor or on the roof but easily the best apparatus I ever used for either was not designed for that purpose at all. I had a studio equipped with an overhead tracking system for the lights. Essentially these systems enable the positioning of lights at any height and in any position over the floor of the studio without lighting stands or trailing cables over the floor. Somewhere I obtained a tripod adapter that was welded to one of the devices that rode along the overhead rails and which normally supported a light. The only inconvenience was having to use a step ladder to be able to look through the viewfinder. Today, DSLRs with live view to a monitor would make the use of such a system a dream.
 
Do you need something to do this just once, or are you going to be doing it a lot? Do you need to be able to reposition it easily and often, or do you just need it set up once?

The quick and easy answer is to build something that spans over head and attach a tripod head to it. You could run a 1x6 across two ladders and bolt a tripod head to it in the middle. That's if you have two ladders, try pieces of furniture that are the same size to work as supports.

I use a boom stand for this. The trick with a boom stand is it needs to be really heavy duty, which means it needs to be really heavy. Make sure it has a decent counter weight to minimize shake. A regular tripod with a boom arm won't work. They're not made to hold that much weight off balance. I have a couple of boom arms designed primarily for lights (big, heavy Novotrons) so they support a 35mm with a regular lens just fine. I just switch out the tips for one that holds a small ball head. You will have to do a remote shutter, as you have to let it settle down a good bit after adjusting it to avoid camera shake. It also helps to do this on the ground floor, so if your model is moving around, the floor doesn't shake and send the vibrations into the camera. You could also get a jib or crane, but getting a decent one would be pricey, and I'm not sure a cheap one would be reliable. That might, however, be the best solution if you're going to be doing this often and can afford to throw some money at it. You can use sand bags to hold the boom or crane legs down if they're in danger of lifting.
 
I did an overhead product photo assignment with a Graflex XL (6X7) : 2 tall ladders crossed with a board, tripod head bolted on in middle.

An aluminum beam might have been better because of less vibration but a pair of Vivitar 285 took care of that in this instance..and the tall ladders themselves vibrated. Suppose I could have used studio flash with umbrellas but the subject didn't call for soft light.
 
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The OP better explains why he does not want a tripod. If there is an obstacle under the subject to be photographed a horizontal arm might indeed be a solution. Otherwise we are on the wrong path anyway...

At least I myself do not understand his problem. And I got quite some special camera-fixing gear.
 
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I have attached a tripod head to a 12-foot wooden pole that I purchased from Home Depot.

I use a remote application on my smart phone to compose and activate the shutter. I have never used this procedure with a film camera.

Do a Goggle search for "pole aerial photography" for some ideas.
 
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