Wide Angle On a Stick (WAOS) Photography

[SilverStag]

So here’s something you can try if you feel in a rut,
using a monopod, broomstick, or a tripod if you’re the Incredible Hulk.

Bah, I’m for shiat writing verse.

I have taken to carrying my new graphite monopod everywhere, and playing around finding new tricks with it. I had a lot of fun yesterday when the local Flickr group had a meetup at Crown Hill cemetery.

Using the timer, I would focus, set the timer, and then hoist the camera way up into the air and try to steady and aim it as much as I could before the shutter tripped. It proved to be a pretty viable technique.

On the ground:

Three steps forward, holding the camera up about 6 feet above my head on the monopod:

I found it incredibly useful to get better and different viewpoints on subjects- here I am maybe 10 feet away from the guy in the lower right corner, standing on the same level as he was:

I can see a lot of potential for this, I’m going to be doing it some more.

[RcMacStudent]

Very cool. I’ll have to try that.

[soosh]

that is very cool. hold on tight!

What monopod did you buy?

[SilverStag]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=190252618969

It seems of reasonable quality at this point, I’ll find a way to break it if there’s a weak spot. So far I’m pretty happy with it.
It’s *very* stiff, and will couple vibration from the ground to the camera: see http://www.flickr.com/photos/pjern/2936772379/ for details of how I found out.

[soosh]

Damn, that’s a good price.

I have on order a timer remote and a angle finder/viewfinder multiplier from a Chinese supplier that sells on ebay. Can’t wait to get them.

[soosh]

Damn, that’s a good price.

I have on order a timer remote and a angle finder/viewfinder multiplier from a Chinese supplier that sells on ebay. Can’t wait to get them.

[Schnappi]

Wow SilverStag, that band pic rocks!
I’m trying to learn the “drag” technique, but I can’t get anything to be sharp at all. I end up with everything blurred the same amount.

[SilverStag]

Basically I get the camera in motion tracking my subject, and slowly squeeze a shot off- the same principle as firing a rifle, the release should be a bit of a surprise to you. Note that i deliberately used a slower-than-optimum shutter speed to force the blurring.

[boringolddoug]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=190252618969

It seems of reasonable quality at this point, I’ll find a way to break it if there’s a weak spot. So far I’m pretty happy with it.
It’s *very* stiff, and will couple vibration from the ground to the camera: see http://www.flickr.com/photos/pjern/2936772379/ for details of how I found out.

Try standing the monopod on your foot. I sometimes have to do that anyway to get the height I need to look through the viewfinder, and I noticed it helped with vibration on road edges as traffic goes by. I’ve never tried it in the stands though.

[SilverStag]

Try standing the monopod on your foot. I sometimes have to do that anyway to get the height I need to look through the viewfinder, and I noticed it helped with vibration on road edges as traffic goes by. I’ve never tried it in the stands though.

That works sometimes, depending on which shoes I’m wearing. I’m considering slitting a tennis ball and filling it with foam rubber scraps, then putting the tip into that.

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