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i've got a hotstick

by: Matt

posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 in Photographers Matt Adcock

Recently, I motivated myself to come up with an idea I had and have since been practicing :) Seriously, I hadn't tried the camera on the monopod idea before August 18 and at my very next wedding, August 25, I pulled it out to see what I could do. Folks, I plan to wear this bad boy technique out! Its clever and different almost every time you use it, because it allows you to change your vantage point. How many times do you see yourself standing on your tip toes or leaning or stretching or doing something different to get the shot??? Almost every wedding I go to I'm trying to find a better angle. Plus, I'm short, 5'8...so I need the added height... How do you change this technique up and add a little flash flavor? Well, I was shooting a reception in a room with a ceiling of 20ish feet of height, and decided to use that to my advantage. I put my Canon 5d on my custom made painters pole / monpod, and gave my camera 14 ish feet of reach over the dance floor. I kept the on camera 580 with the head rotated 180 and facing up so it would be bouncing off the ceiling to provide my down light fill and set my associate operated slave Nikon Sb-28 to 1/2 power with a RED gel and asked him to point it at the dance floor. I focused the camera with about 8 feet of distance to subject and raised the camera on the stick towards the sky.... BANG!!! this is the shot that I ran home with....

You can see my assistant dressed in all black, holding the strobe towards the floor. I told him to face the opposite way so he wouldn't be recognizable....it kinda worked :) Feel free to check out the full wedding slideshow of photographer favorites here I'm loving this one... If I had 10 times to practice this one.... well, forget about practice... lets see your examples :) I'll keep it up, but for now, this is the best I can do for on the spot! Cheers! please post your new photo examples to the Flash Flavor Flickr group

***UPDATE*** After questions about how I did this...i reached into my vault and found this image that Sol Tamargo snagged of my setup with my rigged painters pole with a instant weld type product to hold the long threaded bolt to twist the camera down... This photo is not about fine art, but will give you a feeling of the "how to"

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41 comments for "i've got a hotstick"

Michael Warf says

One great addition to this technique:
If your dSLR is capable of a “live view” mode, run the video out down the monopod / painters pole into a cheap DVD player, you’ll be able to compose your shot instead of a “hail mary” technique.

July 27th, 2009 5:18 pm

Rob Jaudon says

Matt, This is a wicked capture. Job well done

December 20th, 2007 9:05 pm

matt says

Thanks for the shout out Richard, I was stoked when Pop Photography called me and asked to publish this image! They did a writeup about it here: http://www.popphoto.com/popularphotographyfeatures/4776/20--simple-useful-clever-fun-ways-to-get-better-photos.html Cheers & Viva getting published! matt

December 01st, 2007 2:46 am

Richard De Guzman says

I saw your pic in Popular Photography & Imaging magazine and instantly remembered it. Great job.

November 30th, 2007 7:53 am

matt says

phil, We like the high ISO and low power on our slave flashes because that combo produces a nice mix of ambient and subject light. That is the only reasonÃ¢â‚¬Â¦ High output has its place thoughÃ¢â‚¬Â¦ Typically, we can get away with oily skin, a little PS and it is all good!

October 19th, 2007 10:57 pm

PHIL says

Matt, Sol, quick question here. Would you say that the reason you prefer to shoot at higher ISO when using strobes and snoots, is so that you won't have to use the strobes at high output and therefore get oily skin overblown? Your work is beautiful and inspiring. Thanks for sharing. Phil

October 19th, 2007 2:07 pm

Richard De Guzman says

Wow, this is a great shot. I gotta try this now that I have two 580EXs on their way from B&H.

October 16th, 2007 12:54 am

Sean McCormack says

I shot my first 'official' wedding over the weekend. I've done stuff for family and as a 2nd shooter before this, but this was my gig. I'd seen this shot when posted first, but I had to wait around to get one similar. I had a friend roped in to assist so he go to hold the 2nd flash. Unfortunately the ceiling was dark wood, so bouncing didn't work. I just pointed the flash down with a StoFen on instead. It still worked well and I was pleased with the result. Next time (if there is one!) I'll get a radio remote for the shutter and put the ball head on the monopod for a slightly better angle. Thanks! Sean

September 17th, 2007 2:10 am

erick says

Thanks! I just signed up... e. : )

September 10th, 2007 7:06 pm

matt says

yep, that baby is voice activated! I'll be selling my voice activated add on later this year at my workshop! Erick, dude, you totally must share your photo experience on the flickr group, so everybody can see the fruits of your labor... por favor :) glad to hear it worked out! cheers! matt

September 10th, 2007 2:26 pm

erick says

I too was inspired buy this shot! I went out and bought a monopod...gelled a SB-600 with a red translucent folder/report cover ( cut to fit the strobe head (bought from a wal-mart... I was out of town for my wedding and it was 11pm!) I used the SB-800 in commander mood on my camera. Ceiling was much to high to bounce so I shot it direct, with the SB-600 on a small (18 inch) lightstand on the floor behind the B&G. Camera was set to 'continuous focus' in autoficus mode. Set the timer, hit the shutter release button, and lift the monopod so camera is at aprox 12' to 15' over head. Aim camera, and wait for it to fire. Worked great! Thanks for the inspiration!

September 10th, 2007 2:10 pm

Damian says

How is the camera "voice activated"?

September 10th, 2007 2:06 pm

matt says

Dave, yep, you are very right, if it is in manual, it could be soft, just a risk you should take to get the shot. On the ground, I set focus by looking through the lens, aiming at the area where I want to shoot, letting auto focus do its job, then switch the focus to manual and try to keep the same distance to subject while the camera is in the air, its a crap shoot really! Risk = Reward

September 09th, 2007 12:07 pm

Dave says

How do you set the focus? if it's manual could be soft, and if automati, it sets itself before you launch the camera up in the sky :)

September 09th, 2007 12:12 am

Jette says

Wow! Nicely done! I'm inspired to try this for my event tomorrow. Oh great, I don't have a monopod, :-) well, there goes my chance. Thank you so much for sharing.

September 08th, 2007 12:10 am

Jason (tvphto) says

Nice! I have a painters-pole adapter that I made, and can go up 15' or so. I typically use it outdoors, but this is a great idea! Hard part is "aiming the camera". :) got some great group shots outside at a park event though once. Wide angle seems to help... Super Nice! and thanks for sharing!

September 07th, 2007 5:17 am

Tim Solley says

Pretty awesome Matt. I've been meaning to get some shots by using my monopod like that, but never got around to it. Now you've given me a reason to move that shot up on my priorities list!

September 06th, 2007 7:07 pm

ted earl says

Wow! That's a great shot matt! Very creative.

September 06th, 2007 3:01 am

matt says

Yep, the SB-28 is triggered by pocket wizard, connected to PC terminal on the 5d. This particular painters pole definitely has a longer reach than most monopods i've used, but isnt engineered to hold a 5d with grip with a 580& PW attached, fo sure! I am engineering a stronger pole system. The goal here is to elevate the rig to a location that you normally couldnt get to on your own...painters pole, monpod, tossing your camera (NOT), or whatever works for you :) cheers & thanks a zillion for the comments :) mateo

September 06th, 2007 1:30 am

Chris Papadopoulos says

What a cool image. Very inspirational and creative.

September 06th, 2007 12:10 am

carlos benjamin says

Does the painter pole actually give you much more reach than a good monopod would? It's looks a bit flimsy......

September 05th, 2007 10:25 pm

World Famous says

I've been using just a monopod to do my camera on a stick shots. If a church doesn't have a balcony...no worries...we'll make it look like it does! :)

September 05th, 2007 6:32 pm

microdesign webdesign says

Master picture i really love it

September 05th, 2007 3:37 pm

Phil says

Very cool indeed - you are using your brain, keep it up! Phil

September 05th, 2007 1:43 pm

wanzw says

hello kincaid, i think the SB is triggered by pocketwizards. since there is a PC sync connection on the 5D! hello matt, been reading your blog for quite a while already. your lighting technique is really one of a kind! very creative method of doing things! i tried a 400D + 10-22 combo to take a picture of a crowd with a monopod as well. haha. but then nothing comes close with your off camera flash techniques. kudos! i am a free lance photographer based in singapore. man your works really travel around the globe :D

September 05th, 2007 12:45 pm

Kincaid says

Real cool Matt, Can you explain how you fired the sb-28 from nikon with you Canon flash on the camera? I tried this myself is powering down the Canon flash output. I am looking forward to your anwers. Thanks Kincaid

September 05th, 2007 10:27 am

ckaroli says

interesting ;)

September 05th, 2007 8:29 am

Jon says

Superb post and execution, looks great!

September 05th, 2007 6:49 am

Robin Ng says

woooow, that was an awesome idea....

September 05th, 2007 4:50 am

Ty Miller says

Wow, thanks for the post. I tried the technique at a reception Saturday night at the Ravinia Club. Worked well, but I learned what to do and not to do next time, can't wait to try again! Image posted in the Flash Flavor Flickr Group...

September 04th, 2007 1:42 pm

tommyleong says

yes Matt A pic of your monopod with camera and flash attached please. So far, my main concern is them dropping off over the couple :)

September 01st, 2007 4:59 am

Felix Rust says

I taped a laser pointer to my monopod a few weeks ago. I put the camera on self timer for 10 seconds. I raise the monopod up, point the laser where I want to shoot, and bang! I then remove the laser dot in Photoshop.

September 01st, 2007 3:05 am

Bill Millios says

Yo, nice shot. Love the perspective, love the colors. How about a picture of the painters pole/monopod - how'd you attach the camera to the pole? Thanks!

August 31st, 2007 8:56 pm

Chris from Detroit, MI says

Were you the one at WPPI photographing from a monopod? then again must not be you because you don't shoot fuji s2.

August 31st, 2007 6:18 pm

edo says

that hotspot with the yellow works so well. Very 3D.

August 31st, 2007 3:59 pm

Cameron Clark says

holy crap batman, this is cool. I'm hoping I can try this at my next event, poohy-- I'll have to wait 3 weeks. So I'm finally going to break down and buy a monopod... I know, don't kill me, but it's just one of those things when you have to order everything online.

August 31st, 2007 3:54 pm

Martijn says

I've got quite some reach with my 6' 5", but this is way cooler. I might try this for my car-photography, to get some extra elevation in places where it doesn't seem possible (open field etc). :-)

August 31st, 2007 1:44 pm

Nick Haskins says

Dude.....I am sooooo going to try this....but with a twist! Never leave home without your voice activated lightstand.

August 31st, 2007 1:24 pm

matt says

Eric, 6'1 with arms extended is some super reach. I too try that technique, but this one is really fun. This image had 0% photoshop done to emphasize the bounce light fall off. My flash head was a feet from the ceiling, so maybe that minimized the throw of the bounce... I was verysurprised myself Thanks for stopping by! Tommy, glad to motivate you... this one is one to have fun with, big time!

August 31st, 2007 1:17 pm

tommyleong says

Absolutely love this...... I have been sort of wondering around for something new, something fresh to do....this just gets my juice flowing well done, and thanks for the idea

August 31st, 2007 1:08 pm

Eric says

Awesome shot. I typicallly hold the camera at arm's length and aim down (at 6' 1" I can get a decent vantage point) but using a monopod definitely gives better range. My only question is if any PS was done to this image. From that distance, and bouncing the flash into the ceiling, I would expect the white fill light to be hitting more than just the couple. I will try to remember to post some of my hand-held shots in the flickr group.

August 31st, 2007 1:05 pm