Raising your vantage point

[smithdoor]

I like this low cost and portable
Also will go any were
On the down side need light weight photographer or just have the wife take photo

Dave

For every problem, there is a solution.

[Jim Andrada]

You can rent them everywhere in the US as well. Moving them to where you want to use them can be a bit of a problem though.

[Tin Can]

Of course they can be deadly as this article explains.

[toyotadesigner]

Of course they can be deadly

This is America. Nobody reads the manual or safety regulations. Someone with common sense and a healthy brain would never use those lifts in strong wind conditions. I already see the large stickers on the lifts:

Do Not Use In Wind. Use at your own risk. Children under 16 must be accompanied by their parents. No SMS or Twitter allowed during operation.

And so on...

[Tin Can]

Did you read the story? The kid was scared to death, but football must go on. Just following orders.

[toyotadesigner]

Yes, I read the story. The kid was scared to death, but nobody could imagine that, nobody got him back to ground.

The show is more important than a life. I see what you mean.

[Racer X 69]

For every problem, there is a solution.

I'd like to see the photograph made during that setup.

[Racer X 69]

This is America. Nobody reads the manual or safety regulations. Someone with common sense and a healthy brain would never use those lifts in strong wind conditions. I already see the large stickers on the lifts:

Do Not Use In Wind. Use at your own risk. Children under 16 must be accompanied by their parents. No SMS or Twitter allowed during operation.

And so on...

For 30 years I worked at an electric utility performing maintenance and repairs on aerial work platforms (we used to call then "manlifts" until the Word Police came along). My primary job was to perform monthly inspections on the lifts to ensure the safety of the men and women who used them everyday to keep the lights on. The job was similar to that of an A&P, having responsibility for equipment that absolutely must be perfect, all the time.

The part of the job I enjoyed the most was the test flight of the unit after the inspection was complete. I usually timed it for just about sunset each evening. The view was always spectacular.

Some units would take two linemen as high as 220 feet, while standing in a fiberglass bucket at the end of a fiberglass boom. This was of course mounted to a truck that had outriggers at four corners, and there were not only the commensurate decals and operator's manuals warning about use of them in winds exceeding 20mph, the state and federal working rules also addressed use in high winds.

There was also a crane mounted on a class 8 truck that would go as high as 250 feet with a 25 foot swing out jib. That unit had a basket for two linemen to work from, but only had controls in the turret mounted control cab, so the guys in the basket had to rely on the guy down below for their safety. This rig was not electrically insulated like the others, being of all steel construction.

[Robert Langham]

Landscape photography is like the 60s....you just can't seem to get high enough.

[Peter Gomena]

Bogen/Manfrotto used to make a really big tripod, very sturdy. I owned one once, seem to remember it would get you up to about 12 feet. Sturdy enough for 8x10.