Viewpoints

In preparation for the long-awaited shed construction, I’ve been working on a few viewpoints, and techniques that I haven’t tried before. For one, the GoPro was very much intended to provide some of these new angles.

The above-photo is actually a frame from a video (shot low-res, well low-res as far as the GoPro is concerned – it can shoot up to 4k Cin – which is video at 4096×2160) The actual size of the image is a lot larger than seen here. It is also shot on a narrow setting – the wide setting fits the entire backyard in.

The viewpoint itself, approximately 4m from ground level, using a Rode mic pole to mount the GoPro to. One view for a time-lapse of the build. Another I am working on is more of a normal eye-level view, but a tracking time-lapse. I have a couple of 12V high torque 30RPM DV motors on order to assist with that. One to produce horizontal tracking, and a second to allow some control over vertical panning.

So what is actually happening? After all, that looks a lot more like a grass block than a new shed (either that, or the shed seen is a little small to accommodate anything, let alone everything that was in the old one)!

True, but I am very close to being able to show my hand. The main wait has been for the new financial year. Very painful, but for financial reasons it could be no other way.

The pole on the right-hand side (just past the sandpit and the wheelbarrow) is about as far as the shed extends into the garden. Has to be 2 metres from the right hand side fence (as previously discussed), meaning the trailer can be stored long-term around where it is seen in the photo. In that respect, it is not wasted space, as things like the trailer have to be stored somewhere, and around the side of the shed is as good a place as anywhere (and better than somewhere that can be seen from the street).

Surprised you can’t see tracks in the grass from me pacing back and forth. Hopefully for not much longer (please, let it not be much longer!!!)

BTW, you may have wondered (probably not!), but how do you use a camera 2+ metres over your head? In this case, the answer is simple, and isn’t just a remote that you hope has told the camera what to do. It is a remote app that runs on iPhone, iPad (and Android). Not only can I control the camera from an iPad mini I have available, but I can also view life footage from the camera. The brave new world is pretty awesome in places!