Low angle shots: I love low angle photos and I'd love to take some but with my lousy hips and knees, getting down there is a one way trip and usually requires a major rescue operation...

edgorm Loc: Rockaway, New York

I love low angle photos and I'd love to take some but with my lousy hips and knees, getting down there is a one way trip and usually requires a major rescue operation to regain my feet. Anyone have any suggestions as to how I can get my D7000 closer to the ground and still be able to compose a shot? Keep it civil please.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

You need a camera with articulating viewing screen ! I have the Canon 60D and use it for low angle/high angle frequently. Also have a Sony NEX that does the same thing !

Tea8 Loc: Where the wind comes sweeping down the plain.

Set it on something lower and then press the button and hope you get something good? I really don't have a good answer for this other than that is why they make articulating screens now.

ziggykor Loc: East Texas

Get a Right Angle Finder. I believe that one can be found at either Adorama or B&H for under $100.00. They are worth every penny.

Straight Shooter Loc: Newfoundland, Canada

You might find a collapsible stool (I picked one up for about $7) and a telescopic monopod useful. You could sit down and compose the shot at about waist height with the camera on the monopod. Then take the camera off the monopod and use it as a stick to get back up again. There are telescopic walking sticks available that convert to a monopod by unscrewing the head to reveal a screw that will fit into the bottom of your camera - I have one that cost about $25. It's a handy walking stick when not a monopod; it comes with a metal tip for use on icy surfaces or a rubber one for general use.

Another possibility would be to use a camera with a flip-out screen which you could hold down at waist level while standing or low to the ground while sitting, but I suspect you would rather not change cameras.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

edgorm wrote:

I love low angle photos and I'd love to take some but with my lousy hips and knees, getting down there is a one way trip and usually requires a major rescue operation to regain my feet. Anyone have any suggestions as to how I can get my D7000 closer to the ground and still be able to compose a shot? Keep it civil please.

I have been considering picking up a Nikon P510 for just those shots because of the flip-out screen. There are times when it would be handy. Only reason I have not done so is that these screens are extremely difficult to view in daylight conditions when pointed upwards at the sky so I am not sure how much benefit I would gain with one.
I often add a Bogen 3028 head to the bottom of my tripod center column for mounting a camera right next to the ground for these shots and use live view on my D800's, it works pretty good most of the time.

mdorn Loc: Portland, OR

edgorm wrote:

I love low angle photos and I'd love to take some but with my lousy hips and knees, getting down there is a one way trip and usually requires a major rescue operation to regain my feet. Anyone have any suggestions as to how I can get my D7000 closer to the ground and still be able to compose a shot? Keep it civil please.

Attach your camera to a mini tripod or one that allows you to get low, set it on the ground and then use a remote shutter release. Sometimes I even just hold the camera low, rapid fire a few and review. You can always adjust horizon in post.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

mdorn wrote:

Attach your camera to a mini tripod or one that allows you to get low, set it on the ground and then use a remote shutter release. Sometimes I even just hold the camera low, rapid fire a few and review. You can always adjust horizon in post.

I suppose you could do the above + also doing it with a live view on a laptop somehow....

edgorm Loc: Rockaway, New York

Gave the P500 to my wife and she won't give it back. Sometimes, I wish I still had my old Mamiya C33 TLR. Those low stools are just as bad as getting on the ground and I hate shooting blind, so to speak, but maybe I'll give it a try. Believe me getting to be a geezer sucks.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Depending on the width of your lens you can do the "shoot 5 and raise the angle slightly each time" bit...there is a wedding photog who does this with fisheyes...he never looks...just puts the camera to the floor and shoots 5 while slightly changing the angle on each one.

Tea8 Loc: Where the wind comes sweeping down the plain.

MT Shooter wrote:

I have been considering picking up a Nikon P510 fo... (show quote)

Hey that's a good idea! I completely forgot that my Vanguard tripod does the same thing. I haven't tried it out yet. (Right now I'm still able to get down on the ground and get back up. Advantage of a 20 year old body working on my side of course. Although I do use knee pads when I get down to shoot flowers and stuff.)

Wahawk Loc: NE IA

MT Shooter wrote:

I have been considering picking up a Nikon P510 fo... (show quote)

The screen movement limitation of the P510 is why I ended up with the Canon SX40 (and now the SX50). I am able to get very low angle shots and the screen can angle around so that I have never run into a position that the glare couldn't be eliminated.

Wahawk Loc: NE IA

edgorm wrote:

I love low angle photos and I'd love to take some but with my lousy hips and knees, getting down there is a one way trip and usually requires a major rescue operation to regain my feet. Anyone have any suggestions as to how I can get my D7000 closer to the ground and still be able to compose a shot? Keep it civil please.

Somewhere on eBay I saw an item that could be used as an LCD shade, where the inside of the shield was a mirror so that it could be angled to take shots over the head or down low, or even so you could see the LCD from in front of the camera for self portraits. Don't think it was very expensive. Just search eBay for LCD shade.

Jusoljoe Loc: Texas

edgorm wrote:

Gave the P500 to my wife and she won't give it back. Sometimes, I wish I still had my old Mamiya C33 TLR. Those low stools are just as bad as getting on the ground and I hate shooting blind, so to speak, but maybe I'll give it a try. Believe me getting to be a geezer sucks.

I understand your situation and suffer with you. I have the same problem....getting down is pretty easy....getting back up requires at least two weight lifting helpers. Can dream of a mechanized portable lift, but have yet to find one. Anyone having a real solution would be most gratfully appreciated

charles brown Loc: Tennesse

MTshooter is right - can attach camera to bottom of center post and lower to ground. With my tripod can do this without even bending over. Will need the right kind of camera though. And possibly a remote shutter release. I found that it is best to use manual focus when doing this.