Mast photography refers to ground based aerial photography, telescopic pole photography or elevated photography. This system allows photographers to capture images from a "birds eye view".
There are numerous applications for this type of photography, including:
- real estate agents
- land and commercial developers
- construction companies- finished work and progress photos
- insurance companies- documenting damage after natural disasters
- architects and engineers
- advertising and marketing
- newspapers and magazines
- police accident scenes
- civic events, festivals and street fairs.
Four main components create a mast photography system- the telescoping mast, a high resolution digital camera, a remote control power operated pan/tilt head, and a ground control unit.
Telescoping masts come in various sizes ranging from 30' to over 100' and can be actuated mechanically or pneumatically. Mechanical masts rely on a series of simple pulleys and a 12volt electric winch to operate. Pneumatic systems incorporate a hand pump to pressurize the interior of the mast causing it to rise. Where speed of operation and portability are key components, masts can be mounted on a specialized trailer for easy transport. The trailer mounted system is quick to set up, since no assembly is required at the site. The mast pivots near its center of gravity, requiring very little effort to pivot it from the travel position to the vertical position for shooting. The masts can also be mounted on a large car or van and it is quite common for the larger masts to be attached to a 4x4 vehicle.
The remote control pan/tilt head allows the camera to be positioned wherever the operator desires by moving up/down and from side to side. Older model remote control systems had wires connecting the pan/tilt head and the ground control unit and have limited movement. Wireless technology now allows for completely wireless connections between these components using radio frequency controls and also allows for more precise control and a greater range of tilt control.
The ground control unit is the user interface. It allows the photographer to see exactly what the camera is focused on, control the position of the camera, zoom in and out, and to trigger the shutter.
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Famous quotes containing the words mast and/or photography:
“I did not wish to take a cabin passage, but rather to go before the mast and on the deck of the world, for there I could best see the moonlight amid the mountains. I do not wish to go below now.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Too many photographers try too hard. They try to lift photography into the realm of Art, because they have an inferiority complex about their Craft. You and I would see more interesting photography if they would stop worrying, and instead, apply horse-sense to the problem of recording the look and feel of their own era.”
—Jessie Tarbox Beals (1870–1942)