[LargeFormat] Getting a View Camera Down Low

[Les Newcomer]

I can think of two solutions, neither elegant,simple or cheap, or even
light for that matter.


1. You could just invert the column and use the camera  upside down,
under the tripod, but this really needs a large tripod to keep the legs
out of the way. But big tripods weigh more than table top tripods and
cost more too.

2. Bogen makes a side arm that fits their larger tripods. You can use
this and invert the column of the tripod, so the camera is upside down
on the side arm. This makes for an unbalanced set up so bring extra
counter balances. To help stiffen things up there are 'outriggers'--
essentially another column that rides parallel to the tripod column that
you attach the side arm to. This counter acts the force of the camera
wanting desperately to bend the column to get under the support, but
again adds more weight and money.


This just in from my over taxed brain.  A Crown or Speed graphic on a
bean bag!  If you've shot with 35mm you probably won't need alot of
movements that a rail camera would give you and a bed type camera would
certainly put the lens closer to the ground than any monorail camera I
can think of.

If you really wanted to use a monorail camera you could just bring along
a relatively large sheet of plywood with a 1/4-20 screw in it.  As long
as the plywood was longer than the camera it couldn't tip over.  Then
use lots of down shift in the front and up shift in the back with a long lens

Lastly, if you can't get close and low, go with a longer lens and back
up. (yeah I know more weight and cost)

Les

"Daniel J. Hein" wrote:
> 
> I want to take some pictures of Indian Pipes, a saprophitic plant that grows
> maybe 6" tall on the forest floor.  I have used 35mm in the past and it
> isn't a problem getting low enough...I have used a little pocket field
> tripod similar to Leica tabletop but only much lower, getting the lens about
> 2" off the ground.  How to do the same with a view camera?  I have a Gitzo
> that permits the legs to go flat, but with the head and all I am still too
> high.  The forest floor is usually not flat like a studio floor, so some
> adjustment is necessary.  Anybody help me out here with some good way to get
> my camera down low...I do not want to look down on the plant, I want to be
> on the same plane.
> 
> Dan
> 
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