There are times when you need to get down really low to capture a dramatic image. In this free video, world renowned outdoor photographer Ian Plant shows you various techniques of using tripods at ground level. A ground level adaptor removes the center column and allows the tripod legs to be spread within a few inches above ground level. Another style of tripod has a removable center column which screws out and lets you spread the legs to their full outright position for ground level shooting. To get even lower, you can use a bean bag to support your camera. You can also set your camera on the ground and support the lens with small rock or an object from your camera bag such as a filter case.
You Might Also Enjoy...
-
4:04HDR Photography Tutorial: Capturing Window Light
How do you capture a scene bathed in mostly dark, natural light? In this Capturing Window Light video, professional photographer and instructor, Tony Sweet, takes you to a shadowy prison cell and uses a long set of exposures for his HDR photograph. The average, aperture priority setting calls for 15 seconds at 400 ISO. Tony…
Watch Now >> -
2:20Seasonal Photography: Tips for Capturing Year Round Photos – Course Preview
If you eye seasonal photography and wish you could come up with images that beautiful, the good news is that you can. This Seasonal Photography Course will give you the skills, insights, and tricks needed to capture beauty all year long and share it with others.
Watch Now >> -
2:34HDR Photography Tips for Shooting a Cell Block
A HDR photography session in a deserted prison? Why not! Professional photographer and instructor, Tony Sweet, takes you to an old prison cell block for what he calls “a great HDR venue” because of the dynamic lighting range from bright skylights to dark stone walls. You will learn to deviate from your normal light reading…
Watch Now >> -
7:52HDR Photography Lesson: Processing the Hall of Mirrors
The problem in photographing the hall of mirrors was the wide dynamic range of light. In this editing video, post production instructor, Tony Sweet, shows you how to solve that problem in HDR processing. After combining the seven source images, Tony works his HDR image through tone mapping in the Photomatix default setting. He experiments…
Watch Now >>
One way I’ve gotten down to ground level is to lay the tripod on its side, and adjust the head as needed. Sometimes the legs have to be weighted or head lifted onto something.
I mounted my old Slik ball head to a piece of board, about 30 inches long and probably 4 inches front to back. I mounted the head a bit closer to the rear of the board to help out the balance, and I just lie on the ground and prop myself up a bit to shoot. Works fine for ground level shots of small critters and birds.
One of my friends used a cigarette packet one evening – it worked for him 🙂 https://www.instagram.com/p/Br6fa7gFHqx/