Mounting a tripod on a car for long exposure...???

[David A]

Alright, I know if xmental sees this I'll eventually get my answer...anyway...

I have been thinking about setting up this type of shot for quite a while. The only thing that was ever holding me back was the fact that my S5000 only allowed for a maximum shutter speed of 2 seconds. Now that the 300D is coming, I am trying to think of a way to set this up...

So far, I have planned it out to work a bit like this...and I am coming to you guys so you may give me some tips incase you have tried it in the past...

Here are two great examples of the look I am going for:





My biggest fear when it comes to a shot like this is that when I finally get everything set up...how I think it should be...I'll set the self timer...get in the car...start driving...and the camera will fall off and I'll slip into a deep depression.

I've tried thinking about the best way to set it up so the car and the camera both will not be hurt in the process...

I'd use...

-A few towels
-A mini-tripod
-A lot of painters tape (the blue kind...so it doesn't hurt the paint)
-Possibly a few filters depending on lighting condition...

My biggest fear is that the tape will fail and the camera will fall and be destroyed...

Has anyone ever tried this set up and what do you find works best. I have alot of other ideas but this is the one I am having the most trouble with.

Thanks everyone...

-David

 

[hobbes28]

Those shots you have are only between 1/4 second and one second exposures. Xmetal and a few others have these set ups but I think they use bunjee cords to hold them down instead. Then again, I've not taken a shot like that but have strapped a video camera to a car hood with a tripod, bunjee cords and little pieces of pure rubber to prevent scratches and hold the tripod still. Still, those guys could tell you much more.

 

[sparky]

Don't try and tape a normal tripod to the car, no wonder you're worried!

You should use a suction cup mounting system like so or build one yourself.

 

[David A]

Don't try and tape a normal tripod to the car, no wonder you're worried!

You should use a suction cup mounting system like so or build one yourself.

Well, with enough tape it would be ok...I'd figure I'd tape it down with an extreme amount of layers...

 

[DocFrankenstein]

Well, with enough tape it would be ok...I'd figure I'd tape it down with an extreme amount of layers...

The # of layers makes no difference :meh:

 

[stingray]

it's only as strong as the first layer... layers help for securing the tape itself to difficultly shaped objects... once you've got that it's all up to the sticky on the base layer of tape..
I would go for the suction cup system or some kind of clamp...
Lots of video camera gear has boom style arms that are much more verstatile than a straight up and down tripod.
I would make use of a flat surface, such as your window and gently attach a clamp with a large surface area to the window and then adjust the multi pivtoed boom to get the shot you want..
then set time and off you go... that would be ideal i think... but it might not be an option. oh well, good luck

 

[David A]

I meant over lapping layer...The car would look like a spider web by the time I am done.

 

[Cdeep04]

sounds like too much work with the tape and never as dependible as a suction cup.

 

[KMac]

You may be able to use this: http://www.prairie.mb.ca/ram_camera_clamp.htm

 

[Xmetal]

Tripod, Occy Straps, Duct Tape. - exposures start at 4secs and go from there. Buy 4 ND filters if you want to shoot during the day.

 

[Willc73]

Where are you located? that is the real question. Most simple car rigs (suction cups) are rentable for $20 per week.There is anything you need available from rental houses. If you do a lot of shots like this, they are relatively cheap.

As far as safety, don't worry about the suction cups. They can hold quite a bit of weight and are used regularly.

BTW, tape, Stupid idea.

 

[David A]

Tripod, Occy Straps, Duct Tape. - exposures start at 4secs and go from there. Buy 4 ND filters if you want to shoot during the day.

Thanks...Seeing your pictures...I am pretty confident in what you are saying. :thumbup:

 

[Willc73]

As far as exposure, that just depends on what you want. It doesn't seem to me that you want the blur to be complete mush. Do several exposures ranging the exposure time. Depending on the effect, I would suggest shooting at dusk, angle the car to reflect the horizon line and glowing sky.



Bill
www.bill-cahill.com

 

[Meysha]

I've done these sorts of photos too... after Xmetal talked me into it. And it's not as dangerous/silly as it sounds.

Just attach a full sized tripod - a mini one won't get far enough away from the car. Tie it to the car with occy straps. I put my tripod legs onto bits of newspaper so that they wouldn't scratch the car.
You may have to be a bit creative when you attach the occy straps. If you haven't got enough spots, try opening the boot/door to find more spots.

I've done shots like this in the day time at about 1/15s or 1/10s and I was going at about 10k/hr around a corner of our street. Worked really well!! Although I've only got versions on film... so can't show ya sorry.

Just be careful of where you're driving when your tripod is sticking out from the side of the car. You don't want to hit anything - or another car. And you can tie the camera strap to the tripod so that if the camera falls off the stand it's not gonna go crashing into the ground.

 

[Xmetal]

I've done shots like this in the day time at about 1/15s or 1/10s and I was going at about 10k/hr around a corner of our street. Worked really well!! Although I've only got versions on film... so can't show ya sorry.

*cough*

I will admit for a first attempt it's an excellent picture.

My advice would be to shoot at night in a well lit environment (parking lot) where you can stretch the exposures as far as you want and not have to worry about changing light levels...though you'll need a good story if Security shows up.

Night shooting examples...

Parking Lot...

Be careful when you're excecuting a rig shot in an environment with Flourecent lights, Observe the wheels of the car in the next shot...

Because the lights are flickering the ambient light is broken up thus causing the wheels of the car to appear 'still' even though the car is moving.


Just some food for thought.