Field Notes:  Photo accessory

If you look at various pictures posted around the web of the Waddell Memorial Presbyterian Church, featured in this post from Sunday, you will notice that they are shot mostly from the same position. There is a reason for that, and it is not lack of creativity on the part of the photographers.

The church is, as country churches go, quite large and the ground slopes away from it on all sides. This position is about the only place where one can get a decent shot of the entire building. The problem though is perspective. It is hard enough to get a reasonably rectilinear picture of a tall building without having to stand downhill from it. Yes, I know that the answer would be a view camera with movements, but I don't own a view camera and don't plan to go in that direction.

This is a wider view of the church, shot while standing on top of my truck. The building is still leaning uncomfortably away from me.

The answer: a bucket truck.

With a bucket truck in a situation like this, you could easily get high enough to frame the entire building with a level camera, and there are other advantages. Fence and hedgerow blocking your view? No problem: up we go. No place to get off the road to shoot? No problem: turn the yellow flashers on, set out a few orange cones, and get out the camera.

A bucket truck is more expensive than a view camera, but it is easier to learn to operate, more versatile and doubles as transportation. And you can always use it to reach thoses hard to paint places on the house.

Highly Recommended.