Photographing From Behind a Wall

[Richard Wasserman]

I will be doing a series of photographs from behind a concrete wall that is about 4.5 feet tall. I need to get the camera as close to, or on top of, the wall as possible. I am thinking of removing one leg from a tripod and sitting the center column on a sandbag, with the remaining 2 legs extended to the ground on my side of the wall. Do you think this will work, am I missing anything? Or is there another, better way to accomplish what I am trying to do?

[Flauvius]

You might check with Adam at S.K. Grimes, he just modified one for me that would likely meet your needs.

Flauvious

[Kirk Gittings]

For what purpose Flauvius?

[mdarnton]

My Manfrotto 055 can pop any or all of the three legs to halfway up or nearly horizontal. I actually use this quite a bit when I'm shooting on a table, in a corner, or out a window, with one or two legs up, and the other/s in the normal position. They also sell a short column, so you can take the camera right down to the floor with all three legs splayed out all the way, too. You can also skew a tripod quite a bit by taking in two legs' lengths until they're leaning, in your case, straight against the wall vertically; the third leg locks the whole mess against the wall, and if there's friction for the feet, it will stay put. Finally, the end cap to keep the column from coming out converts into a zero height center column if you don't one at all, though I don't see that cap in the current photos. It's this guy: http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-055L...=055+manfrotto

[Kirk Gittings]

My 055 too AAMOF.

[Richard Wasserman]

Thanks, I'll take a look at the 055s.

[Richard Wasserman]

One more question—is the Manfrotto 055 sufficient for a Techikardan on a Linhof 3-way head? I'll be using lenses up to 300mm.

[vinny]

I use a 3" (2ft long) aluminum plate with 3/8" holes tapped at both ends and the middle. Similar to what we call an "offset" in the film industry. Attach your head to one end and screw the other end onto your tripod with a bolt. Done. Aluminum is cheap.

[mdarnton]

I'm OK with my 5x7 Ansco Universal on the 055. That's about nine pounds, plus lens, and I often use a 300mm 6.3 Paragon, but that camera is probably pushing the limit. I wouldn't put an 8x10 on it, but I bet there are people who do. :-) But you're right to ask the question--it's not a massive tripod, maybe just a notch up from a Tiltall.

[Kirk Gittings]

One more question—is the Manfrotto 055 sufficient for a Techikardan on a Linhof 3-way head? I'll be using lenses up to 300mm.

I used mine on a 305 and 450 with a Phillips with Zero problems-would take more weight for sure. I think they are prettu bullet proof. Mine is the older 055 MF3 with a 410 or 3047.