Problem solving, shooting from elevated location

[NicholasR]

Hello all,

I have a building I have been commissioned to photograph.  I need to gain approximately 20 feet (about 7 meters) of height in order to get an interior room in the frame.  A deck is in the way, and the angle into the interior will not be correct from ground level.

To make things more difficult, the location I will be shooting from is not paved, nor will it be possible to get a truck in place.  Also, my style of shooting usually is usually photographing late evening, blending exposures from a well lit interior to the exterior.  So, I'll need a solid spot for my H3D for a several second exposure.

Any ideas?  I guess I could go out and buy 2 of the biggest ladders I could find and make a scaffolding?  Try not to fall and break myself.

Please, any ideas appreciated!

[snickgrr]

A cherry picker is out of the equation?  They have them now that can boom from quite a distance away.

[James R Russell]

Hello all,

I have a building I have been commissioned to photograph.  I need to gain approximately 20 feet (about 7 meters) of height in order to get an interior room in the frame.  A deck is in the way, and the angle into the interior will not be correct from ground level.

To make things more difficult, the location I will be shooting from is not paved, nor will it be possible to get a truck in place.  Also, my style of shooting usually is usually photographing late evening, blending exposures from a well lit interior to the exterior.  So, I'll need a solid spot for my H3D for a several second exposure.

Any ideas?  I guess I could go out and buy 2 of the biggest ladders I could find and make a scaffolding?  Try not to fall and break myself.

Please, any ideas appreciated!
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=200144\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

You don't mention where your located or what country/city your shooting in, but the best way to get a camera in a difficult area is to look at the cinema industry, specfically a lighting/rigging companies.

They will have a safe solution.

Two ladders and a scaffold might save you some money but 20' is enough to put you in the hospital for a year.

When in doubt play it safe.

JR

[peteh]

You don't mention where your located or what country/city your shooting in, but the best way to get a camera in a difficult area is to look at the cinema industry, specfically a lighting/rigging companies.

They will have a safe solution.

Two ladders and a scaffold might save you some money but 20' is enough to put you in the hospital for a year.

When in doubt play it safe.

JR
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=200154\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

How about this:http://www.white-lightning.com/lb11.html

I have one and it will support my 1dsmark 2 with 70-200 2,8 lens on board.You might have to buy the super clamp too. though.

[peteh]

How about this:http://www.white-lightning.com/lb11.html

I have one and it will support my 1dsmark 2 with 70-200 2,8 lens on board.You might have to buy the super clamp too. though.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=200180\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Opp's . That's for once you get up there!

[BJNY]

Try at your own risk,

but on a couple of occasions, I've mounted a 555ELD (secured with safety cables) onto a Bogen Mega Boom which has geared remote control
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller...C=BO425B&Q=&O=#

[peteh]

Opp's . That's for once you get up there!
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I just read about this.
[a href=\"http://www.bogenimaging.us/Jahia/site/bius/pid/6780?kindOfProductCollectionRequest=productDetail&productCode=269HDB-3U&productDescription=SUPER%20GIANT%20ST.%20BLCK%203%20LEVLEG&curBrandId=MAN&market=MKT3]http://www.bogenimaging.us/Jahia/site/bius...MAN&market=MKT3[/url]
or
easier link
http://www.adorama.com/BG269HDB3U.html

OR Bogen 269HDB-3U
March,08 Page 16
 www.popphoto.com

[TMARK]

Look into renting a Condor.  Its a 4x4 chassis with a long, long boom attached to a turntable with a basket on the end.  They are diesel and loud, but can get you anywhere you need to be.

[peteh]

 

Look into renting a Condor.  Its a 4x4 chassis with a long, long boom attached to a turntable with a basket on the end.  They are diesel and loud, but can get you anywhere you need to be.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=200209\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I feel quilty for recomending something for $600.00-$1000 price range.But I looked at the other posts.The original poster never said what he was willing to pay for UP HIGH!

[TMARK]

I feel quilty for recomending something for $600.00-$1000 price range.But I looked at the other posts.The original poster never said what he was willing to pay for UP HIGH!
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=200214\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

If its a commercial job, a condor is not out of the question.  More like $2,000 a day with an operator.  I know guys that have $50k budgets to shoot buildings over a two day period, and a condor is part of the plan.

[TMARK]

Two ladders and a scaffold might save you some money but 20' is enough to put you in the hospital for a year.

When in doubt play it safe.

JR
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=200154\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

This is the best advice you will receive from this thread.

[NicholasR]

Thanks for all the advice guys, I really appreciate it.

I'm in the US, and will look into rentals.   Unfortunately I am not charging 50k for a 2 day shoot, but spending 500-1000 to get the shot in particular is not out of the question.   Obviously it has to do with how much the client wants the shot in particular.

  Some of the boom ideas are interesting as well and I'll have to research.  I have no problem dropping a grand on something I can use on future projects.  I live and shoot in the mountains and am always dealing with these issues.

I was kind of kidding about the ladder.  I've shot from 8' ladders before and that was bad enough, I can't imagine a jerry rigged 20' ladder!

[NicholasR]

I just read about this.
http://www.bogenimaging.us/Jahia/site/bius...MAN&market=MKT3
or
easier link
http://www.adorama.com/BG269HDB3U.html

Very interesting,  I may be able to get some mileage out of one of those.  Composition would be challenging, but I could just slap the 28mm on there, get a long long firewire cord, tether the camera and just get everything in the frame.   Seems like it would enable me to get a nice angle on some of the 'cheap and cheerful' jobs I do for real estate.

[peteh]

Very interesting,  I may be able to get some mileage out of one of those.  Composition would be challenging, but I could just slap the 28mm on there, get a long long firewire cord, tether the camera and just get everything in the frame.   Seems like it would enable me to get a nice angle on some of the 'cheap and cheerful' jobs I do for real estate.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=200280\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I thought that big tall tripod would work for you .Shoot wide and crop a little?

[JDClements]

Some of the boom ideas are interesting as well and I'll have to research.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=200277\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Make sure you try before you rent something like that. Any one I have ever been in is anything but steady.

[roskav]

I've been working on getting a rig where I could do this sort of thing regularly, easily and cheaply.... I have started to think that a remotely operated dslr with a nice wide angle .. on top of something like this

http://www.photo-towers.com/

will do the job ... and won't cost a fortune siting in the corner of my studio for 360 days a year.

I wouldn't risk a medium format system on top of one of these though.

(Bear in mind that any diesel operated lift will count out any long exposures due to vibration)

Ros

PS ... The dslrs are just great now for wireless operation .. live view etc.. makes it much easier to work a rig like what's mentioned above!

R

[haefnerphoto]

I've got a lot of experience with this kind of shot, primarily from my location car work.  For my architecture I haven't had to go that high but the principal is the same.  Since you need to blend at least two exposures taken at different times the camera will need to be locked down pretty well.  I recommend scaffolding as the most cost effective solution and perhaps a tall ladder to stand on once the camera's been locked down.  Shooting tethered is preferable also.  Being on a separate surface should minimize camera movement from climbing/standing on the scaffolding.  Twenty feet should be 2-3 sections of scaffolding, I recommend bracing the scaffolding with 2x6's, pipe clamps and sand bags.  I usually Makita a sheet of 3/4 inch plywood to the top surface to reduce flex were the tripod is positioned. If by any chance you have a structure adjacent to the scaffolding try clamping the scaffolding to it to make it really sturdy.  The problem with lifts is that once you're in position and you've shot a few brackets and now you have an hour or two until you do the exposures for the lights inside you can't come down or else the exposures won't line up.  Also, if you want to view what you've shot you have to have the laptop up in the lift with you, which isn't a good thing.  Now that I've said all this, here's some examples shot from lifts on location and a studio car from scaffolding.  Jim
[attachment=6998:attachment][attachment=6999:attachment][attachment=7000:attachm
ent]

Sorry about the duplicated posts, somehow I hit the wrong keys!

[haefnerphoto]

I've got a lot of experience with this kind of shot, primarily from my location car work.  For my architecture I haven't had to go that high but the principal is the same.  Since you need to blend at least two exposures taken at different times the camera will need to be locked down pretty well.  I recommend scaffolding as the most cost effective solution and perhaps a tall ladder to stand on once the camera's been locked down.  Shooting tethered is preferable also.  Being on a separate surface should minimize camera movement from climbing/standing on the scaffolding.  Twenty feet should be 2-3 sections of scaffolding, I recommend bracing the scaffolding with 2x6's, pipe clamps and sand bags.  I usually Makita a sheet of 3/4 inch plywood to the top surface to reduce flex were the tripod is positioned. If by any chance you have a structure adjacent to the scaffolding try clamping the scaffolding to it to make it really sturdy.  The problem with lifts is that once you're in position and you've shot a few brackets and now you have an hour or two until you do the exposures for the lights inside you can't come down or else the exposures won't line up.  Also, if you want to view what you've shot you have to have the laptop up in the lift with you, which isn't a good thing.  Now that I've said all this here's some examples shot from lifts on location and a studio car[attachment=6995:attachment][attachment=6996:attachment][attachment=6997:atta
chment] shot from scaffolding.  Jim