I use a handy 7 meter tripod from manfrotto. I'm always worried when I hoist up the last section as a DSLR does feel vulnerable when the pole goes off the perpendicular. The tripod has to be carried in the car which is not so ideal... so this post is very interesting to me. Has anyone ever thought about the possibility of being struck by lightning?
Be careful out there .. def no go with storm activity around!! And don't set up anywhere near power lines, etc .. or crowds!
Sometimes though it's the little unexpected things that will get you.. for instance, while doing my
aerial pole photography thing recently. Everything was going well until I stepped off a boulder which then unexpectedly shifted, causing me to step off the wrong way and nearly breaking my ankle. That hurt really bad, but back to about 95% now. In the middle of the incident I let go the pole and my Pentax Q hit the rocky ground - breaking the rear LCD glass.
The cam actually still works fine, LCD is OK, lens did not touch ground (T.G.) but I'd like to replace the cracked glass. Does anybody have experience with this already??
Here is the patient, alive but eagerly awaiting an lcd glass transplant ..
Also, good point about the vantage from user louoates - makes perfect sense for product (golf course) shots. Though I'm going more for a much higher and wider view to reveal the (hidden) flatness of the landscape!