Finding Unique Camera Angles

Surprise! Bet you didn’t expect to see a Platypod on my head. Today we are going to explore some unique camera angles with the lightweight, travel tripod, the Platypod. Regular tripods are great for shooting regular, standard headshots, but if you are looking to step up your shots, the Platypod offers you the flexibility to get creative!

The Platypod comes in two different sizes; the Platypod Max (above) is great for larger cameras, such as the C200, whereas the smaller plate, the Platypod Ultra (below) is good for lightweight mirrorless cameras.

You can use it by simply sliding a plate on the tripod, and slide it on and off whenever you need to shoot. It’s perfect for on the go shooting because it has holes for you to clip it to your backpack or any bag.Overhead Shots

By using the Platypod as a B Camera platform, it forces you to makes you put your camera in unique places that you wouldn’t have thought of.

We’ve used it from tall viewpoints, where we’ve screwed them into doors, and even into ceilings for overhead shots.

Recently, we shot in a barn and got a wide shot looking down by screwing a couple screws into an old board in the ceiling. It’s both a great way to stabilize your camera and see your scene from a different angle.

Super Low Angles

Not only is it good for getting shots overhead, but it’s also great for low angle shots like when you want someone walking into a scene or someone stepping over the camera.

Landscape Photography

The Platypod was also great for getting really in-depth shots of the water. In order to get a close-up of the river, we place it directly onto the rocks. Depending on what kind of shot you want, you can literally put it into the water too!

This travel tripod comes in handy when you are shooting in a crowded place as well. At our Bryce Canyon National Park Shoot a couple weeks ago, there were almost 30 people crammed onto a bridge to get this beautiful sunrise river shot. However, we were able to place to Platypod right onto this square column that no one else could use that was right down the middle of the river.

Food/Product Photography

This mini tripod is able to conquer food photography as well because it’s able to sit on the table and get a close-up shot. With a tripod, you hit a point where you can get close enough to the subject matter, and sometimes you even need to sling an arm over. It makes it really easy to do product photography as well.

We used it with the C-Pan Arm and locked it down with a Cardellini clamp onto the table in order to get a really close tight shot. That is a really fabulous look because it gives me a great arc so I can pan between the two subjects smoothly.

Strap It

A new idea that we’ve just recently started to use more often is strapping it to different objects in the scene. The great thing is that the Platypod Ultra comes with a strap. The Platypod Max Strap is only included if you purchase the Accessory Kit. We’ve tried strapping it to a fence inside of a horse barn and managed to get an angle that we wouldn’t have been able to get without strapping it. Strapping it to things creates a more dynamic range of angles for you.

Perfect for Tight Spaces

Previously, we shot a video on how to film in tight spaces with the Platypod. Inside a fridge, inside an oven, inside a microwave, just to make it more interesting to see an angle of the camera looking out of something. With its compact size and lightweight, it is convenient to run around with and shoot quick scenes.

Look for unique places to put your camera! The biggest reason that I use the Platypod is that it gives me the opportunity to explore different camera angles. It’s a fun and creative way to get out of your comfort zone when it comes to shooting.