Equipment needed for vertical still life/macro shots

[FujiLove]

First off, apologies if I'm asking the blindingly obvious, but I'm very new to setting up still life images.

I have a standard tripod with a ball head and would like to set my camera up vertically to take photos of objects laid on the floor, such as flowers, pieces of wood etc. I'll be using a Hasselblad 503 with extension rings, which will top out around 2kg with the 150mm lens fitted. Can anyone suggest the best way to go about setting this up? The ball head swings 90 degrees down, so the camera points at the floor, but then the lens is very close to the centre of the tripod, meaning the legs are in the frame. It seems like the camera needs to extend forward of the tripod, away from the legs in some way. Do I need to use some kind of additional 'bar' or arm to hang the camera off like this:

...or are there other solutions?

Obviously (and you guessed this was coming)...I'm on a tight budget.

 

[PhilH04]

You can use an extension arm like the one illustrated but think of the added vibration, I also find that there is an increased risk of it all tipping over. I have a wall mounted bar for occasions when I need to shoot vertically or if out and about I have a spacer block between the head and camera that moves the lens out just far enough for a clear view without the legs intruding, mine was custom made by a friend using a block of aluminium and an arca swiss clamp and plate.

 

[FujiLove]

Good points about the vibration and unbalancing the tripod.

 

[Nostromo]

Good points about the vibration and unbalancing the tripod.

Could you not hang a counter balance/weight on the opposite end of the extension arm.?

 

[FujiLove]

Could you not hang a counter balance/weight on the opposite end of the extension arm.?

I guess, but that arrangement looks unsteady, don't you think? Or are they not in reality?

Is there any way to hang the camera below the tripod? Or specialist tripods that do this?

I see loads of people shooting items that are laid on a horizontal surface, so how are they setting it up?...or is the horizontal surface an illusion?...I guess it could be a gentle slope, which would mitigate the effect of the legs appearing in the shot.

No good for marbles though

 

[Mr Perceptive]

Copy Stand is what you need

http://www.beselerphoto.com/copy-stands/

http://www.kaiser-fototechnik.de/en/produkte/2_1_sortiment.asp?w=3

 

[Nostromo]

I must admit, having a balance weight may not be the best method, but it'I the first that came to mind when I saw your post. I have a benbo tripod, so i can invert the centre column, so that the camera is facing straight down between the legs. Other tripods will also do this (but some require some dismantling of the centre column). Benbo's are very versatile, but can take some getting used to. You can pick up used for about £50-70.

 

[FujiLove]

Copy Stand is what you need

http://www.beselerphoto.com/copy-stands/

http://www.kaiser-fototechnik.de/en/produkte/2_1_sortiment.asp?w=3

Damn. Why didn't I think of that?!

They look exactly like my enlarger base and column, so all I'd need is a camera mount for the enlarger bracket.

(pondering...)

 

[Mr Perceptive]

Damn. Why didn't I think of that?!

They look exactly like my enlarger base and column, so all I'd need is a camera mount for the enlarger bracket.

(pondering...)

Putting an ARca plate onto the enlarger shouldn't be too tricky, even if it requires an interface plate. Then put an Arca compliant grip on the camera and away you go!

 

[realspeed]

What about cutting off the tripod legs.

 

[FujiLove]

Problem solved: I mounted the tripod’s central column upside down.

I like zero cost solutions.