76 year OLD man needs advice.. Good Morning...need advice on getting sharp pictures while sitting on a mobile scooter...I no longer can stand for any length of time'''If i ride on...

Jim Braden Loc: West Monroe LA.

Good Morning...need advice on getting sharp pictures while sitting on a mobile scooter...I no longer can stand for any length of time'''If i ride on scooter to photo spot ..Get off with monopod i begin to weave back and forth.....just looking for help with being handicaped and still loving to shoot....Thanks in advance

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

Jim Braden wrote:

Good Morning...need advice on getting sharp pictures while sitting on a mobile scooter...I no longer can stand for any length of time'''If i ride on scooter to photo spot ..Get off with monopod i begin to weave back and forth.....just looking for help with being handicaped and still loving to shoot....Thanks in advance

Either a tripod or a 4/3rds system. My preference would be the 4/3rds system.

BebuLamar

Is your scooter 3 wheeler? If so mount the tripod head on your scooter somewhere.

hipines Loc: Prescott, AZ

What about a tray across the arms of the scooter with a small travel or table-top tripod on top of the tray?

marine73 Loc: Modesto California

All good ideas

MrBob Loc: lookout Mtn. NE Alabama

I think a permanent monopod with a decent QR ball head would be great mounted somewhere on the scooter and not intruding on normal scooter usage; maybe something attached to handlebars ? removable tray between the bars with small table top tripod is another good Idea. Maybe IMAGEMEISTER who is pretty good with attachments will chime in with some good Ideas. Hang in there... I am 75 and looking for workarounds all the time. Bad hips and cataracts will eventually turn me into the stationary photographer with Braille camera.... You just have to roll with stuff you can't control and do the best you can. Good luck, God Bless ! Bob

dick ranez

the joby gorrilla pod on the front handlebars with a pistol grip ball head would be one solution that's removable. An auto body shop should be able to fabricate and attach loops for a tripods legs than would be more permanent. Also look at a camera with terrific image stabilization and shoot at faster shutter speeds.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

I would use the monopod from a position sitting in the scooter. Remove & collapse when not in use.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Jack up the shutter speed use a tennis ball grip to stabilize.
https://www.instructables.com/id/iSteadii-20-Image-Stabilizing-Unit/

Increase the space between the ball and camera so you do an eagle claw grip with index and middle finger straddling the 1/4-20 screw

mikeschwartz Loc: Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago

Hi Jim, I'm exactly in the same position. I'm 76 and also rely on a mobility scooter I have severe back problems and tremors. I shoot with a tripod almost all of the time. I swivel my seat, place the tripod in the proper position, and I stand up for brief times as needed or just shoot from a seated position. I also use a wired remote trigger or the camera's timer. I shoot with a Sony A7RII but I don't think the camera weight makes a difference since I use a tripod most of the time anyway. I've thought about tethering my camera to a Microsoft Surface Pro which would give me control over the camera from a sitting position and a large screen. I would tether using Capture One software. Also, the Surface Pro can run Adobe Photoshop CC. But, tethering is for another day. Alternatively, with many cameras, you may view the image and partially control your camera with your cellphone. Enjoy shooting this Summer!

tommy2 Loc: Fort Worth, Texas

Hi Jim, just wanted to second the suggestion made by MrBob above to look for another UUH member, imagemeister for a design or two. Rolled over into my 80's recently and finally admitted I suffer the same aging related problems - lack of stability on my feet. I first started using a ChairCane purchased on Amazon.com for $25 about five years ago and now have copied one of imagemeister's support designs, it works perfectly along with the Chair Cane.
It is simply an upside down "T" made from a few PVC fittings - less than $10 and a deep sea fishing rod holder harness back brace for less than $20. (The top of the "T" rests just above the bottom of my rib cage.)
I've been using this to support my DSLR and F2.8 70-200mm IS lens combo for a few months and have found so many more usable images on the SD card than have appeared in a long time.
Recalled some training from the 50's when shooting the M1 Gerand (sp?) in boot camp. "Breath, Relax, Fire"

TJ28012 Loc: Belmont, NC

I just stay on my scooter and use an 18-250 zoom handheld. Since you will be out in mostly good weather and daytime, just try to keep your shutterspeed up.

If you have a swivel seat, rig a bi-pod assist to the armrests so it will stay in front of you and usable as you rotate the chair. That and a zoom lens should solve many/most problems as it did for me.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

mikeschwartz wrote:

... I shoot with a Sony A7RII but I don't think the camera weight makes a difference since I use a tripod most of the time anyway. ...

My Sony A65 and a 70-300 Lens weight is about 2.5# in contrast, my superzoom Panasonic TZ100 weighs about 10 Oz and takes excellent photos. There are things like chest supports that can stabilize the camera.

here is a neat support that uses one shoulder and the chest... surprisingly it only costs $20
https://www.amazon.com/Shoulder-Support-Stabilizer-Camcorder-Camera/dp/B00MF6MJXI/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=small+camera+chest+support&qid=1562070753&s=gateway&sr=8-11

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Jim Braden wrote:

Good Morning...need advice on getting sharp pictures while sitting on a mobile scooter...I no longer can stand for any length of time'''If i ride on scooter to photo spot ..Get off with monopod i begin to weave back and forth.....just looking for help with being handicaped and still loving to shoot....Thanks in advance

Many of the nature preserves in Florida cater to the wheel chaired photographers. Green Cay, Peaceful Waters, Wakodahatchee, all have board walks. Every state has a person in state government that can supply a LOT of useful information about wheel chaired accessibility places. Call your state Rep. for the contact. They will be very helpful.

Dikdik Loc: Winnipeg, Canada

A lot of useful suggestions... I'm really happy that you are going out and taking photographs.

Dik