The Bridge of Flowers, Shelburne Falls
We are always looking for fresh exciting images, and sometimes we run out of ideas. I know I do. At schools we’ve got a changing bunch of people and the same old bunch of buildings to work with, and at some point the chapel, the schoolhouse, the gym have all been done to death — with a wide angle, a low angle, a high angle, and maybe even teetering on a stepladder, for the truly motivated. A bird’s eye view would be different, but helicopter shots are so costly. Your photographer could rent a truck with cherrypicker, but that also requires a big budget, plus it tears up the lawn something awful. And what if you want to shoot indoors, from way up high inside the athletic center, or the chapel or the theater?
Enter Upshots: Photographer Frank Siteman and his sleek Jack and the Beanstalk style tripod, which is operated from the ground. It’s 45 feet high! He calls it Upshot. I call it Skypod.
There is no noise and no air pollution. Since Frank is shooting from a land-based tripod, he has the stability to shoot in very low light and make evocative dawn or dusk images. On small rubber tires, Upshot rolls silently and safely into restricted spaces, formal gardens, elegant interiors, and provides breathtaking views from an novel and previously unattainable perspective.
A breath of fresh air.
Tags: Frank Siteman, photographs, tripod, upshots
This technique would go hand-in-hand with the Tilt Shift technique to make some fresh exciting images! Here’s a how-to with some excellent examples:
http://www.visualphotoguide.com/tilt-shift-photoshop-tutorial-how-to-make-fake-miniature-scenes/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/tilt-shift-fakes/pool/show/
What a great technique! I’ve been to Shelburne Falls and Frank’s photo more than does it justice. BTW, I was a classmate of Frank at Tufts in the 60s.
This giant tripod is perfect for getting a great shot of solar panels on a roof. Not only that, but it is an environmentally friendly way of getting good bird’s eye photos.
I have known Frank’s work for over 30 years. Not only is Frank a consummate professional photographer “on the ground”, his “Upshot” gives him possibilities beyond A+.
Frank’s and the giant tripod are great for groupshots and making folks look thinner! = happy clients!
http://www.silverscape.com
Marketing Strategy, Technology and Design
Silverscape,
Now you’re talking about what people REALLY want! Thanks for dropping by. Come again.
–Sally