Wheelchair user: Things to help me use camera

FordMNX

FordMNX

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Gemma
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I know that this probably in the wrong place or a really strange question but I'm kind of new to photography etc.

The trouble is I'm in a wheelchair so at the moment I'm limited to angles, heights and so on. I was wondering if anyone knew or could think of any equipment I could get to help me make the most of my camera and take great shots.
 
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You are actually asking in exactly the right place - which is nice! :D

There are a quite few wheelchair users on TP who post regularly, so hopefully a few of them will find this thread.

On the plus side, lower angles often make better shots, and the bonus is that you won't have to bend or kneel down to get them.

Best of luck and enjoy your new hobby! :D
 
Thanks, nice to know I got the place right!

You're right about the lower angles - I've often seen people get down to a similar level
 
DemiLion said:
You are actually asking in exactly the right place - which is nice! :D

On the plus side, lower angles often make better shots, and the bonus is that you won't have to bend or kneel down to get them.

Best of luck and enjoy your new hobby! :D
Click to expand...

so right on that ,cannot count the times i have knelt down for a shots , kids amongst other things ..

And welcome to the forum FordMNX
 
Welcome Gemma, sorry I can't help but it my be worth updating the thread title so that those who know about wheelchair togging will know to look :)
 
:agree:
Hopefully one of our other wheelchair users will be along with some specific advice.

Until then it might help if you could tell us what sort of things you're interested in photographing. If you're just trying to get to grips with camera settings etc right now, simple tabletop set-ups can be a good starting point and height / angles will be less of an issue allowing you to just focus on using the camera.
 
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Give 'Wheels' a shout, he should be able to help! (y)
 
Thanks everyone! I've changed the title slightly which will hopefully help.

At the moment I mainly take pictures of cars (my main interest) but often take family shots.

I know I need a tripod or something which will help with night shots of my car - the pics come out blurry even if someone else takes them at the moment.
 
You can't see 'wheelchair' from the forum list - put it at the start of the title ;)

Like I said, I know little about it but I'm pretty sure you can get mounts for your chair which would negate (maybe?) the need for a tripod etc.
 
not sure on size of your wheel chair but have you tried a mono pod as you may be able to brace it with the frame work of the chair giving you steady platform for the camera and hopefuly comfortable for you at same time....
 
Wheels is probably the most famous wheelchair user in history, well on here then ;)

He had some mods done to his charriot and im sure if you drop him a pm or even cowasaki who pretty much designed the thing, they would give you some pointers.

Wheels in his camera car
 
I was having a discussion along these lines today with a friend - he is in a similar position.

My wife has a half sized tripod - it is perhaps 2 foot 6 inches high, which I got her for about £20. I am sure they have a proper name.

My thinking was if one of the legs was cut away - hacksaw - then your left with a bipod, which I think would be very practical in your case. You get the stability of a tripod without the third leg getting in the way, and it would be around the right height.

From when I used to shoot ( rifles, not camera ) a bipod makes for an exceptionally stable base.
 
A hide clamp would probably suffice for now. Like THIS.
 
Stick your location in your profile as well, there may be people local to you who can help.

What camera do you have? My bridge has a flip out screen, so when I hold the camera either high or low I can still see the screen - that could be useful for when you need to have the camera at a different height.
 
Web2428.jpg

This is one I made for my scooter
 
Wow thanks guys, this is all really helping.

I have a Panasonic Lumix (all the details I can remember offhand). Had it about 4yrs now and as said before its only issue is night shots.
 
Im sure there is going to be a set up that'll suit perfectly. Cameras are tools and there are all sorts of tools for tools. For your night shots, a rig that held your camera in such a position that itd be easy to pan over or tilt one way or the other. This could be a clip to the chair or free stand like a tripod so you're not tied to longer exposures and if long enough, that movement werent an issue. Happy shooting.
 
Gemma Hi,

Two issues here! Taking great photos as one and problems with angles as another. Then on top of those two is another and that is how your disability affects your use of a camera. Taking great photos, well many of the great photos are probably taken from unusual angles, thats what makes them great and different, but to take great photos we need to be a great photographer. People in wheelchairs can be great photographers, perhaps they adapt their photography to suit the situation they are in!

Being in a wheelchair, yes this is a problem because the photographer is often shooting from a low angle this is very true with portraiture, but remember if you can't get to the height of the model, make the model come down to you. With landscapes think about finding a different location which is accessible to you and one perhaps, the majority of people taking photos ignor, strangley is those thing that probably make great photographers.

For inspirationplease do have a look at the photographers with disabilities website www.photographerswithdisabilities.com especially look at the work of Shirley in the gallery. I know Shirley will not mind me telling you this, the majoirty of her shots are taken from a wheelchair, Shirley can stand for short periods but the majoirty of the time she is sat in her chair, would you know that from her photography????

Hope this is helpful.

Regards
Chris
 
Hi Gemma, I found one of the most useful bits of kit to replace a tripod was a hide clamp, I used the opticron BC 2 and found it to be the best. you can replace the head with a ball head if preferred.
The clamp part will fit onto anything up to 2" in diameter or thickness.

Also to avoid camera shake I would use a remote release with the camera.

Another tip if you have trouble looking through the viewfinder or at the rear screen is to use an android tablet or phone along with a USB host cable and an app called DSLR controller if you have a camera that it supports.
This means you can control the camera from your android phone or android tablet whilst viewing the live view image on it.. very handy for awkward shots.
 
I think some of you miss the point a little telling someone in a wheelchair that a lot of interesting shots can be taken from a wheelchair and that it can be a bonus.
being in a wheelchair makes everything more difficult trying to set up a tripod from a chair is a nightmare then the chair wont get close enough to enable you to look through camera the live mode helps sometimes.
Of course photos can be interesting from a different angle however if you are like me totally chair bound then you are stuck at this height, cant get low enough for interesting angles cant change the angle by standing I once saw a tripod that could attach to your wheel chair but it was no good as even your heart beat and breathing are amplified through the chair and make the tripod move and vibrate, I am sorry to moan but I used to be a keen photographer and now there seem to be sooo many problems just trying to get the pic i want trying to set up my tripod to take a still life photo last night drove me crazy and I gave up in the end, a shot which before would have taken 10 mins to set up, took me an hour and a half and still didn't get what I was trying to achieve.
i am sure that eventually i will overcome some of these problems and I am relatively new to having lost my legs but at the moment it is soooo frustrating sorry about the rant :bonk:
 
iancandler said:
Hi Gemma, I found one of the most useful bits of kit to replace a tripod was a hide clamp, I used the opticron BC 2 and found it to be the best. you can replace the head with a ball head if preferred.
The clamp part will fit onto anything up to 2" in diameter or thickness.

Also to avoid camera shake I would use a remote release with the camera.

Another tip if you have trouble looking through the viewfinder or at the rear screen is to use an android tablet or phone along with a USB host cable and an app called DSLR controller if you have a camera that it supports.
This means you can control the camera from your android phone or android tablet whilst viewing the live view image on it.. very handy for awkward shots.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what i was going to say. I would use a CSC like the new NEX with built in wifi and link it to a tablet. Then attach the camera to a wand for low shots and a light weight carbon fibre tripod for everything else.
 
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