Yep, I've seen those guys in the water before. The great thing about your rig is that you can get your lens closer to the water without risk of it getting dunked than those guys. Very clever and the results speak for themselves. Most inspiring. Thanks so much for sharing your rig and techniques. I'd be tempted to try something similar if I come across some wetlands with access that lends itself to it.
BTW, it's better and easier to in-line (hot link) your photos direct from your host site (Flickr), rather than upload them the Dgrin. There's a little piece of paper icon with a folded corner, located on the right end of composition window. Click on that and simple enter the URL to the photo and it will produce the markup code to inline the image directly from your server.
I'd be tempted to try something similar if I come across some wetlands with access that lends itself to it.
BTW, it's better and easier to in-line (hot link) your photos direct from your host site (Flickr), rather than upload them the Dgrin. There's a little piece of paper icon with a folded corner, located on the right end of composition window. Click on that and simple enter the URL to the photo and it will produce the markup code to inline the image directly from your server.
Well, if you (or anyone else) wants to give this a try, then the easiest / quickest / cheapest way - imo - is just to use a beanbag on the ground at the water's edge. Obviously the environment (as you indicate) will play a big role over how high (low) you'll be able to get.
If contemplating having a go, I'd suggest the following bits of kit.
Bean bag - or if you want to be a real cheapskate ... an old T shirt or similar, rolled up inside a plastic shopping bag or similar - just to 'see how it goes' / as a quick trial
Bit of plastic to put under beanbag (again, shopping bag if nowt else) - keeps the crud off the bag and provides a better surface for panning / tracking - imo.
Something to kneel / lie on / isolate (insulate if cold) from the ground ... I use half a roll mat.
Some other sort of smaller / soft bit of material ... eg a kneeling pad as used by gardeners - this you can move around independently of the roll mat, place under an elbow when crouched down to protect said elbow + it's useful to have something that can be placed under the bean bag to raise it slightly, in certain situations. This might seem an odd thin to say if trying to get as low as poss, but depending on subject, working distance and AF point selected ... a bit of extra height can stop the end of the lens hood 'bottoming out'
I - as seen in the pics, use an angle finder, as I've found it the best for me - others may well want to use different methods - eg tilt screen - or just looking thro the VF.
I prefer the more intimate physical connection with the AFinder easier to deal with than the physical disconnect present with a tilt lcd - especially when panning / tracking.
Because of how heads are shaped, I think it's more comfortable (on the neck) with an AFinder + being a bit lower than direct viewing. Sitting / standing in a purpose made dugout is one way of getting around this, but somewhat difficult at the water's edge in a public park.
I've also immersed a tripod in the water occasionally - but I've stayed on land.
Water was 2 - 3 ft deep, bank about 1ft or so higher than water level - couldn't use rig shown in pics - so use an old series 5 Gitzo + Gitzo PL5 head.
The trick is to mount the head upside down on the tripod, so the panning base is uppermost - this way, you can adjust the other 2 axes to get the panning base axis vertical ... and attach a piece of suitable sheet material (ply or plastic, preferably - 6mm + thick, on the bottom (now top, of the base) to act as a platform onto which you place the beanbag.
I'd be interested to see any results (and setups) if people do decide to have a go
Thanks for the tip re pic upload, btw, but none of the three pics was online in this case - and image quality wasn't really an issue (the 2 setups taken with my old HTC Desire S anyway )
pp
edit
btw, Greylag goose banner shot on homepage of Alula site was taken at first rig pic location.
Great tips, Paul. Thanks again for sharing. I'm definitely a fan of beanbags when the situations calls for it. They're pretty much the support of choice for photo safaris in Africa. That and two camera rigs on the seat next to you.
Good use of the angle finder. It's not always pleasant lying in the mud. Your body is more upright this way so more likely to be noticed by the water fowl. But that's offset by the fact that you're looking downward and not making eye contact with the birds which mitigates the threat. Love these ideas.
I actually have something called a Skimmer Ground Pod that's a very simple form of rig that you use.
Never seen one in the flesh, but have come across such items - and DIY variations like frying pans etc.
The attachment of any sort of head with something like this invariably raises the lens centreline too much - for me, anyway.
Earlier last year we had a couple of other guys visiting the venue I frequent - both using 1Dx and 600 f4 .One used an RRS TP243 and gimbal, the other a Gitzo equivalent. Both guys produced nice shots with these setups (tripods in the water, guys on land.
Both rigs are more versatile than what I use - as indicated by their pic range - but mucho ££ and ... more important for me, several inches higher viewpoint, which really shows up (imo) with smaller birds, as it puts the horizon line way higher than the bird's head.
This was very evident once a few yrs ago when I took some pics of a non wildlife type at one of the lakes (with concrete slope into water) ... the lens height was just right for the scale of this model, as it placed the horizon at the right height ... whereas for the smaller models , it was much higher, relative to the model - through their masts, and produced a totally different 'feel' to the pic.
Nearest to a ground pod in my 'gear bag / arsenal' is a glass platter from a microwave. I ground the centre drive dog hump in the centre off, so it sits nicely on the other 3 bumps underneath - and place it at an alternative location at the venue sometimes, so I have something quick to throw the bean bag onto.
Well, I'm glad the safari organisers issue you with seats that can be placed next to you on the ground .. for those 'lion drinking at waterhole shots ... rather than the more usual pov several feet above ground level
If this constitutes a bit of thread drift too far, Please remove ...
I'm sure we've all come across scenes / subjects that necessitate getting the gear out ... even if it's a bind unpacking it because it's been stowed. This was one such case for me.
Someone I know had expressed an interest in joining me for a trip to my local venue to see how I go about getting pics etc. We had to move on from the first lake because the fire brigade arrived to do some training on the water (or something)
We packed up and getting closer to the next lake, I realised there were a couple of guys operating r/c model boats. As a lapsed modeller, I thought I'd stop and watch for a while and maybe have a chat.
However, when I saw one of the models, the first thing I did was to ask the guy operating it how much longer he was going to be there ... and quickly got my gear out.
The location has a concrete boat (full size) launching ramp, which I've used before and my gear is designed to deal with.
This is also a situation where - imo - stills couldn't do the subject justice - because audio / music was also involved
Not been thro all the shots properly yet, but this is one I did a quick hack on and sent to the owner by phone.
Again ... imo, this would've been a rather different shot from anything other than a low pov / water level
Comments
Yep, I've seen those guys in the water before. The great thing about your rig is that you can get your lens closer to the water without risk of it getting dunked than those guys. Very clever and the results speak for themselves. Most inspiring. Thanks so much for sharing your rig and techniques. I'd be tempted to try something similar if I come across some wetlands with access that lends itself to it.
BTW, it's better and easier to in-line (hot link) your photos direct from your host site (Flickr), rather than upload them the Dgrin. There's a little piece of paper icon with a folded corner, located on the right end of composition window. Click on that and simple enter the URL to the photo and it will produce the markup code to inline the image directly from your server.
Link to my Smugmug site
I'd be tempted to try something similar if I come across some wetlands with access that lends itself to it.
Well, if you (or anyone else) wants to give this a try, then the easiest / quickest / cheapest way - imo - is just to use a beanbag on the ground at the water's edge. Obviously the environment (as you indicate) will play a big role over how high (low) you'll be able to get.
... an old T shirt or similar, rolled up inside a plastic shopping bag or similar - just to 'see how it goes' / as a quick trial
If contemplating having a go, I'd suggest the following bits of kit.
Bean bag - or if you want to be a real cheapskate
Bit of plastic to put under beanbag (again, shopping bag if nowt else) - keeps the crud off the bag and provides a better surface for panning / tracking - imo.
Something to kneel / lie on / isolate (insulate if cold) from the ground ... I use half a roll mat.
Some other sort of smaller / soft bit of material ... eg a kneeling pad as used by gardeners - this you can move around independently of the roll mat, place under an elbow when crouched down to protect said elbow + it's useful to have something that can be placed under the bean bag to raise it slightly, in certain situations. This might seem an odd thin to say if trying to get as low as poss, but depending on subject, working distance and AF point selected ... a bit of extra height can stop the end of the lens hood 'bottoming out'
I - as seen in the pics, use an angle finder, as I've found it the best for me - others may well want to use different methods - eg tilt screen - or just looking thro the VF.
I prefer the more intimate physical connection with the AFinder easier to deal with than the physical disconnect present with a tilt lcd - especially when panning / tracking.
Because of how heads are shaped, I think it's more comfortable (on the neck) with an AFinder + being a bit lower than direct viewing. Sitting / standing in a purpose made dugout is one way of getting around this, but somewhat difficult at the water's edge in a public park.
I've also immersed a tripod in the water occasionally - but I've stayed on land.
Water was 2 - 3 ft deep, bank about 1ft or so higher than water level - couldn't use rig shown in pics - so use an old series 5 Gitzo + Gitzo PL5 head.
The trick is to mount the head upside down on the tripod, so the panning base is uppermost - this way, you can adjust the other 2 axes to get the panning base axis vertical ... and attach a piece of suitable sheet material (ply or plastic, preferably - 6mm + thick, on the bottom (now top, of the base) to act as a platform onto which you place the beanbag.
I'd be interested to see any results (and setups) if people do decide to have a go
Thanks for the tip re pic upload, btw, but none of the three pics was online in this case - and image quality wasn't really an issue (the 2 setups taken with my old HTC Desire S anyway )
pp
edit
btw, Greylag goose banner shot on homepage of Alula site was taken at first rig pic location.
Flickr
Great tips, Paul. Thanks again for sharing. I'm definitely a fan of beanbags when the situations calls for it. They're pretty much the support of choice for photo safaris in Africa. That and two camera rigs on the seat next to you.
Good use of the angle finder. It's not always pleasant lying in the mud. Your body is more upright this way so more likely to be noticed by the water fowl. But that's offset by the fact that you're looking downward and not making eye contact with the birds which mitigates the threat. Love these ideas.
I actually have something called a Skimmer Ground Pod that's a very simple form of rig that you use. It's just a saucer of heavy plastic with at 3/8" stud for your tripod head. I got it for free from Naturescapes who through it in with a purchase and I've yet to use it. I'll have to make a point of dragging it out. Here's a link if you want to take a look. https://www.amazon.com/NatureScapes-Skimmer-Ground-Wildlife-Photography/dp/B0015YHG70/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485239189&sr=8-1&keywords=skimmer+ground+pod
Link to my Smugmug site
Never seen one in the flesh, but have come across such items - and DIY variations like frying pans etc.
The attachment of any sort of head with something like this invariably raises the lens centreline too much - for me, anyway.
Earlier last year we had a couple of other guys visiting the venue I frequent - both using 1Dx and 600 f4 .One used an RRS TP243 and gimbal, the other a Gitzo equivalent. Both guys produced nice shots with these setups (tripods in the water, guys on land.
Both rigs are more versatile than what I use - as indicated by their pic range - but mucho ££ and ... more important for me, several inches higher viewpoint, which really shows up (imo) with smaller birds, as it puts the horizon line way higher than the bird's head.
This was very evident once a few yrs ago when I took some pics of a non wildlife type at one of the lakes (with concrete slope into water) ... the lens height was just right for the scale of this model, as it placed the horizon at the right height ... whereas for the smaller models , it was much higher, relative to the model - through their masts, and produced a totally different 'feel' to the pic.
https://dgrin.com/discussion/235568/lifeboat-day
Nearest to a ground pod in my 'gear bag / arsenal' is a glass platter from a microwave. I ground the centre drive dog hump in the centre off, so it sits nicely on the other 3 bumps underneath - and place it at an alternative location at the venue sometimes, so I have something quick to throw the bean bag onto.
Well, I'm glad the safari organisers issue you with seats that can be placed next to you on the ground .. for those 'lion drinking at waterhole shots ... rather than the more usual pov several feet above ground level
pp
Flickr
I admire your creativity. We actually don't use safari organizers. We rent our own vehicle and self-tour.
Link to my Smugmug site
If this constitutes a bit of thread drift too far, Please remove ...
I'm sure we've all come across scenes / subjects that necessitate getting the gear out ... even if it's a bind unpacking it because it's been stowed. This was one such case for me.
Someone I know had expressed an interest in joining me for a trip to my local venue to see how I go about getting pics etc. We had to move on from the first lake because the fire brigade arrived to do some training on the water (or something)
We packed up and getting closer to the next lake, I realised there were a couple of guys operating r/c model boats. As a lapsed modeller, I thought I'd stop and watch for a while and maybe have a chat.
However, when I saw one of the models, the first thing I did was to ask the guy operating it how much longer he was going to be there ... and quickly got my gear out.
The location has a concrete boat (full size) launching ramp, which I've used before and my gear is designed to deal with.
This is also a situation where - imo - stills couldn't do the subject justice - because audio / music was also involved
Not been thro all the shots properly yet, but this is one I did a quick hack on and sent to the owner by phone.
Again ... imo, this would've been a rather different shot from anything other than a low pov / water level
pp
Flickr