Rose on a Stick

[wulf]

I was up early this morning (explanations on my <a href="http://www.web-den.org.uk/cgi-bin/wulfblosxom/2007/06/13#wakingup.20070613">blog</a>) and so decided to go out and water some of the plants in the garden. As often happens, I was inspired by what I saw and rushed back in to get my camera....

One of the subjects I chose was the climbing rose. I had the camera on its tripod but couldn't find a particularly exciting position. Then I had the idea of putting the legs together and using it to lift the camera up in the air, taking pictures using a two second time delay. Below are the best of the results:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photo.gne?id=543621134" title="Rose - Remote Shot #1"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/1170/543621134_3d46c064e7_m.jpg" title="Rose - Remote Shot #1" alt="Rose - Remote Shot #1" width="240" height="159" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wulf/543621126/" title="Rose - Remote Shot #2 (by basswulf)"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/1159/543621126_145cc9daf1_m.jpg" title="Rose - Remote Shot #2 (by basswulf)" alt="Rose - Remote Shot #2 (by basswulf)" width="240" height="159" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wulf/543621118/" title="Rose - Remote Shot #3 (by basswulf)"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/1153/543621118_426926437e_m.jpg" title="Rose - Remote Shot #3 (by basswulf)" alt="Rose - Remote Shot #3 (by basswulf)" width="240" height="159" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wulf/543621104/" title="Rose - Remote Shot #4 (by basswulf)"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/1252/543621104_a8fbdbdaa2_m.jpg" title="Rose - Remote Shot #4 (by basswulf)" alt="Rose - Remote Shot #4 (by basswulf)" width="240" height="159" /></a>

I think the best rose was probably the one in the fourth shot - it is a shame that was the picture with the blandest background! However, I will definitely try this idea again in future - it gives a different perspective without the peril of "camera tossing"!

Lessons I will try to remember next time:

1. Composition can be hit or miss (and largely miss in my case!). I should have used some reference points in how I was holding the tripod so I could view the shot and then return to take a similar one with minor adjustments (lots of pictures missed the flowers altogether or cut them off awkwardly).

2. Manual focus (the last shot) worked much better than autofocus. A camera with more focal points (only 3 on the D40) might do better, as long as it picked the right one to use. With manual focus, you can set it for a particular distance and then just have to get the lens that far from the subject for it to be sharp.

I would be interested to see other pictures taken using a similar approach and hear any other ideas on how to improve the results.

Wulf

[jiminyClickit]

wulf,

For those impractical positions, great idea. Keeps you out of a thorny situation

This past winter, sitting in the parking lot with camera on monopod, I thought of a thread earlier in the year about mounting camera on a length of wood or PVC, and tried a safer shorter version. Much as you describe, trial and error had a learning curve, and finding the same hand position each time helped framing. Estimating distances was key for focus. I pictured an arc over subject, released 10-second timed shutter focussed on subject, then quickly raised camera in that arc over subject. Got to go try some ducks!

[wulf]

Aha! That explains your recently added photo, entitled Monopod (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47146451@N00/543900983/), on Flickr. I wonder if a 10s delay would have been a better choice for me - slowing things down a bit but giving me much more time to calculate a suitable position and orientation for the camera?

Wulf

[ELAY]

Wulf, do you have a Nikon remote for your D40?

Granted you need a hand free, but that might help with timing etc. Cheap ($20 or so) and lots of fun.

EL

[wulf]

No but, at some point, I want to see if I can use my Palm Pilot in lieu of buying a remote. A remote control is not something I would use that often but the Palm is something I almost always have with me (and have already paid for) so it would be a win all round.

Wulf

[jiminyClickit]

wulf,

Or a 6-foot cable release? Shoot when you're ready.

(Ran out of time this morning, photo was intended to accompany post!)

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/47146451@N00/543900983/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1098/543900983_b56f0cc0c2.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="MonoPod" /></a>