In article ,
tony cooper wrote:

On Sat, 19 Nov 2011 10:51:06 +0100, Sandman wrote:

So I want to make a timelapse movie of me drawing, and I will be
drawing on paper on a table. I have a DSLR and I was wondering if you
knew about a good way to mount it above the paper?

I have two tripods and putting them on the table may be a bit
cumbersome but it's possible, but I don't seem to be able to zoom
out/move the camera far up enough without seeing the tripod in frame.
Not a huge problem per se, but I would prefer a mounting solution that
works without seeing it of course.

Any ideas?

I do quite a bit of table-top still photography, and I've kludged
together some Rube Goldberg set-ups that work very well but look
terrible.

Here's one that I would use for your project:

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...213/gadget.jpg

In the top image, the camera body is not the one I'd use and the strap
would be detached. I just wanted to show a body in place.

The base is a section of plywood with a hole drilled in it that
accepts a long, threaded section that I bought from Ace Hardware. A
wing nut holds it in place and two large flat washers hold it steady.
When I'm not using it, the threaded section is removed for easier
storage.

I slotted the base on my table saw so opaque sheets of plastic can be
inserted to act as light diffusers when I use external lights from the
side.

The horizontal pieces are some things I picked up at a yard sale for a
buck or so each. Flash brackets of some kind, I think. I can use
just the piece in the middle image, or extend the camera out with the
piece in the lower image.

I have a section of parachute material with a lens opening cut-out
that can be spread across the top of the plastic inserts when I want
to diffuse light from above.

This set-up works well for photographs where I'm shooting relatively
straight down on the subject. Antique pocket watch works, for
example. I have a tripod with a reversible shaft, but this is quicker
and easier to set up and work with. No legs in the way and it puts
the camera at eye level when I place the base on a bench.

Ugly photos here, and an ugly set-up, but it works.

Yeah, great setup. I'm assuming you are working from opposite the
stand, and that the resulting images would be slightly tilted?

Even so, I would be sitting at my normal desk and the wife would not
appreciate me drilling holes in it for some temporary camera stands.
Apart from that, it looks like a solid solution.


--
Sandman[.net]