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-055LAA-Angle-Adapter-055D/dp/B000BGZMRY/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1421622810&sr=8-15&keywords=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.

[Bill_1856]

It's not clear to me what the problem is. Why not just set it on top of the wall?

[Richard Wasserman]

The wall is about 12 inches thick and over 100 feet in the air with a multitude of pedestrians below. In addition to the camera being stable, i need to be very safe!


It's not clear to me what the problem is. Why not just set it on top of the wall?

[Richard Wasserman]

Perfect! This should make things easy, and it's easy to make. What thickness do you recommend—is 1/4" enough?


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.

[Flauvius]

Kirk:

The "two legged" tripod obviates the problem of photographing in a tight space and having the third leg take up needed, but otherwise wasted, space.

The tripod is kept tank steady through the use of twenty-five pound sand bags of each of the tripod's extended legs. The camera can be used as low as four inches off the ground and it is intended to sit on a wall, or a window sill of as little of 8 + 1/2 inches in depth. The tripod is just a modified old Silk tripod.

The next time we get together, I will show you a bracket I made that allows the use of a street sign post in lieu of a tripod. The holes in the sign's post provide a good measure of height adjustment, and the Gitzo head provides for a lot of spacial adjustment.

Regards,

Flauvius

[Kirk Gittings]

Got it. I'm looking for a removable leg to use as a hiking stick.

[vinny]

Perfect! This should make things easy, and it's easy to make. What thickness do you recommend—is 1/4" enough?

Sorry, I left that part out. No, it should be 3/8" thick. Use a 3/8 eye bolt to fasten the offset to the tripod that way you can tighten it by hand (no tools) and hang a weight from it to keep the whole rig from tipping over.

[Richard Wasserman]

Thanks Vinny, I'll order a piece of aluminum tomorrow morning.

[lenser]

Wow. This is sure being overly complicated.

Assuming that your tripod is tall enough to clear the wall by a few extra inches, simply put two legs against the wall, extend the third leg straight back and extend it as far as you need to stabilize the two legs flush to the wall and then level the head as it is designed to be used. If you need a block of wood to add a bit of height to the third leg, that's a lot easier to tote than a couple of 25 pound sandbags. This is precisely the same principal as using any tripod on a slope except that you have more stability because of the wall.

[lenser]

Wow. This is sure being overly complicated.

Assuming that your tripod is tall enough to clear the wall by a few extra inches, simply put two legs against the wall, extend the third leg straight back and extend it's length as far as you need to stabilize the two legs flush to the wall and then level the head as it is designed to be used. If you need a block of wood to add a bit of height to the third leg, that's a lot easier to tote than a couple of 25 pound sandbags. This is precisely the same principal as using any tripod on a slope except that you have more stability because of the wall.

[Flauvius]

Hello Lenser:

I use my "two leg" tripod to make images from walls in parking lots and other locations where the third leg of a conventional tripod presents a problem.

My sand bags and other heavy junk are in the trunk of my care.

Flauvius

[Richard Wasserman]

Any chance i could see a photo of your 2-leg tripod? It sounds as if it's a variation on my original idea, but maybe a bit refined. After going around in circles a bit, this I think is the way forward. thanks much! i have an old Bogen 3021 prepped for surgery...


Hello Lenser:

I use my "two leg" tripod to make images from walls in parking lots and other locations where the third leg of a conventional tripod presents a problem.

My sand bags and other heavy junk are in the trunk of my care.

Flauvius

[Daniel Stone]

I've shot over/on top of walls before, using all sorts/sizes of cameras.
This is usually how I prefer to set things up, as long as the wall isn't too tall.
Using the tripod leg's ability to go low, but only using 1 leg's extension, it's very stable.
*I'd be wary about putting sandbags on any ledge that's ~100ft+ above people's heads :confused:

http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a602/acreativemind88/tripodoverwall.jpg~original

[Richard Wasserman]

Thanks Daniel, but the height and depth of the walls that I will be behind don't allow me to set up my tripod the way you showed. After thinking more about this, and going around in circles yesterday, I think my original idea (and Flauvius's) will work the best. I took a look at what's involved to remove one leg from my Bogen tripod and it looks fairly simple—you just have to disassemble the whole thing... I hear you about being safe 100 feet up—you should have seen the safety precautions when I shot from 900 feet.

[Nathan Potter]

If the wall is about 12 inches wide at the top and relatively flat I would use a couple of bean bags and dispense with the tripod altogether; especially if in the tele range of 300 mm and up for 4X5. I make my own bean bags using old socks and pebbles. Done properly, the stability is complete. Adjusting is a bit futzy but once the framing and setup is complete a bit of moving and squeezing of the bean (pebble) bags can achieve a solid mount.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[Flauvius]

Hello Daniel:

On Wednesday of this week, I am meeting with someone who has a "d...al" camera and who can made an image of my modified tripod for you.

In principle, your image pretty much is what I have. Indeed, you have the same Gitzo head.

However, my "two leg" tripod lays completely flat on the wall and the unused third leg simply "hangs parallel to the outside wall. Unlike your Gitzo tripod, my Silk "two leg" tripod does not have any leg stops to prevent the legs from spreading. Also, the center column on mine Silk tripod was removed to both bring the camera to about four inches from the whatever it is sitting on, and to enhance lateral stability and to prevent the camera from "tipping over".

If you would rather not have sand bags, or similarly heavy things sitting on the wall, simply put a "C" clamp on each leg and an "U" bolt above the clamp. Them, simply attach something "heavy" on a string/rope to the "U" bolt. Nothing will move either over the wall, or laterally when you insert your film holder.

All things considered, I would not waste the money on a new Gitzo when any "user" small tripod will do the job.

One last thought, be sure to position the handles on your tripod away from you. If you are heavy like I am, it is nice not to have the handles poking you in the gut every time you are focusing. So, giving credit where it is due: Steve Simmons told me about this great idea.

Please PM me if you still want me to have an image made of my "two leg" tripod.


Flauvius

[Daniel Stone]

Flauvius,
Please share a photograph of your bi/tripod setup, not simply for my benefit, but for the forum as a whole :)

I (have) been somewhat "heavy" most of my life(I'm nearing 27yo). But this will be the last year I am so, as I'm making permanent life changes in regards to diet, exercise regimen and life as a whole. Slow, but steady progress has been made. Diet being the hardest thing(I have a sweet tooth :()
Since most of my photography is from eye-level, even with LF, I haven't had to contend with the tripod handles hitting my midsection; instead they hit my clavicle or poke me in the neck if I'm not careful ;)

-Dan

[Ed Richards]

I would cut a piece of 2x10 to the width of the wall. Then screw 2x10 pieces on the ends so you have a U that fits over the wall. Make the legs long enough to give you piece of mind that it is not going to fall off, and put your tripod head on the top.

[Drew Bedo]

What about a horizontal side-arm (Gitzo?). Put the camera end on the wall sitting firmly on a sand bag. This might allow the camera, or maybe just the lens, to be extended—slightly—beyond the wall. No modification to the tripod except to remove the ballhead.

[kintatsu]

How about one of those folding shop ladders, the kind that folds 4 ways and is about 4' when folded. Mount a plate at the top that can be used to mount your tripod head. Usually a 3/8 20 bolt is the right one. With your tripod head on top and the ladder folded as an a-frame, you should be up about 6-8 feet, giving you plenty of clearance to shoot over the wall. With a long cable release, you can wait until the ladder has stopped vibrating from climbing off, then release your shutter. I think Clyde Butcher uses something like this.