# Worlds largest monopod?



## Harris (Aug 8, 2009)

So I had to go to a wedding rehearsal yesterday outside of a lighthouse here in Port Isabel.  Figured I could get a few interesting shots(unfortunately I didn't have much in the way of free time).  What I did get was to meet a new friend and see the largest monopod I've ever seen!

Here are the few pics I was able to get of the lighthouse, feel free to C & C











Ran into this guy, started talking and had to share these photos - I emailed him a link to the forum simply because this guys ingenuity amazed me.


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## William Petruzzo (Aug 8, 2009)

I don't even know what to make of that.


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## Dagwood56 (Aug 8, 2009)

Ingenious I'll agree, but the shots he took couldn't possibly have turned out sharply...could they? That pole doesn't look too sturdy. 

Your shots: 1. I think you lost a bit of detail in the bottom of the lighthouse because of the lighting. I'd also clone out the light pole, wires and top of the pole at the bottom. Nice shot though.

2. Love it! Great detail and focus. :thumbup:


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## c.cloudwalker (Aug 8, 2009)

Hard to imagine the results. That pole seems to bend and it's got to be pretty unstable so unless he shoots with a high speed, how often does he get an image in focus?

You were there, what's his technique?

And the other question that comes to mind is: what's the purpose of the pole? Serious question, I don't get it.


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## Harris (Aug 8, 2009)

Ok, firstly there's usually about 30 MPH winds around these parts, so I'm assuming he's shooting a bunch of photos then weeding them out for the best shots.

He had a monitor on the base of the pole so he could see the shots he was taking, and although I didn't ask I'd assume he's using an image stabilizing lens.

He said he usually shots real estate photography (apparently professionally) and the pole allows him around 30 ft worth of height.  Said he made it himself, and used a point and shot for about a year until he got comfortable with the whole camera swaying on a pole 30ft in the air.


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## c.cloudwalker (Aug 8, 2009)

Ok, firstly there's usually about 30 MPH winds around these parts, so I'm assuming he's shooting a bunch of photos then weeding them out for the best shots.

Oh yeah, he's got to. Even with much less wind, I would think.

He had a monitor on the base of the pole so he could see the shots he was taking, and although I didn't ask I'd assume he's using an image stabilizing lens.

I figured it was a monitor but it's hard to believe the pole doesn't move (flex/bend) too much to get much useful results. I can't help and think that he's got to shoot an awful lot of photos to get 1 useable one.

He said he usually shots real estate photography (apparently professionally) and the pole allows him around 30 ft worth of height.

But what for? If it's to avoid distortion when shooting taller buildings there are specialized lenses (sorry, I can't think of what they're called right now) that correct the problem. Not cheap from what I remember but a lot easier to use.

Obviously, he's using the darn thing so he must get whatever he wants from it. But it would be nice to hear from someone who uses such a thing.

Thanks for the shots. Interesting.


And sorry for not talking about your lighthouse shots. That pole is just so much more interesting... 



Edit = This is the type of lens I was thinking about:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perspective_control_lens


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## Harris (Aug 8, 2009)

No problem Cloudwalker, I too was more interested in that homemade monopod than in taking the photo's I had set out for.

Oh yeah, I think the added height allows him to do exterior shots of single story homes..


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## c.cloudwalker (Aug 8, 2009)

Harris said:


> No problem Cloudwalker, I too was more interested in that homemade monopod than in taking the photo's I had set out for.



:lmao:


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## Bitter Jeweler (Aug 8, 2009)

You know, people take great pictures from kites, too. If it's possible hanging from kite string, it's possible from a 30 foot pole.

(google KAP, kite aerial photography)


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## Clawed (Aug 8, 2009)

I'm just surprised he can get the camera down successfully without slamming it into the ground.


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## Dagwood56 (Aug 8, 2009)

Clawed said:


> I'm just surprised he can get the camera down successfully without slamming it into the ground.


 
Good point. Imagine what would happen if he tripped over something.


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## icassell (Aug 8, 2009)

Harris said:


> .
> 
> Oh yeah, I think the added height allows him to do exterior shots of single story homes..




Or interior shots through second story windows :lmao:


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## Samanax (Aug 8, 2009)

How come the lighthouse shots have that weird darkish blue halo along the sides of the lighthouse?


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## EhJsNe (Aug 8, 2009)

HOLY CRAP! Thats epic!


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## Harris (Aug 9, 2009)

Samanax said:


> How come the lighthouse shots have that weird darkish blue halo along the sides of the lighthouse?



I have no idea, I just noticed it myself?

And the pole being used worked just like a regular monopod (only in reverse), the largest section stayed at ground level and the smaller sections slide up out of it.  Had some sort of locking mechanism in each section and was clearly marked so that he knew at exact what height the camera was.


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## Figment (Aug 9, 2009)

Dagwood56 said:


> Clawed said:
> 
> 
> > I'm just surprised he can get the camera down successfully without slamming it into the ground.
> ...


Yea, I about damn near wet myself, thinking "Ouch...There goes a perfectly good camera" when I first saw that shot.... I mean Holy Jeebus


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## JohnHokkanen (May 9, 2010)

Pole photography is becoming more common, and you can find info by searching for PAP (pole and aerial photography). The really tall masts have to be anchored because the forces on the pole are so great. I am amazed to see this guy walking with what looks to be a pretty tall pole. The really tall fiberglass poles are linesman's poles and there is a pole called a Wonderpole.

However, if you want to get started inexpensively, you can go to about 25 feet with just an off-the-shelf painter's pole. That's what I use. Over the years, I developed an adapter to convert a painter's pole to a giant monopod, and along the way came up with some other devices to make pole photography a bit safer. You can see them on my web site at PolePixie.com Painter Pole Adapter and Camera Accessories. Here's an image of the approach that I use; the photo shows a digital camera up top, but I attach my Canon 5d to it, though I usually try not to max out the height with that camera.


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## christopher walrath (May 9, 2010)

Jose Hasselblad.  On a stick.


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## vtf (May 9, 2010)

Paparazzi usage?


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## reznap (May 9, 2010)

A Pentax would survive that fall


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## fokker (May 9, 2010)

It's not really a new concept, real estate photographers have been using tricks like this for years. I've even a real estate photogrpahy business with a car-mounted pole. 

some people also use remote controlled helicopters for aerial photography. This is something I have started exploring myself, although I really need to get a LOT better at flying the damn things before I'm ready to upgrade to a grunty gas powered one and stick a camera on it


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