Sega
Established
Over a month ago now I did something to my back pulling a customers delivery up a hill and since then I've had a lot of difficulty moving, a 5 minute walk now takes 20 and crouching to get that shot is a no no, some of my pills also seem to make me shake a little.
I hope I will get my mobility back soon but I was wondering if anyone is in a similar position, how do you get out and take pictures and get your gear about?
I hope I will get my mobility back soon but I was wondering if anyone is in a similar position, how do you get out and take pictures and get your gear about?
Bob Michaels
nobody special
Ever heard of Chris Crawford? Read his posts here while you delight in his photos.
Sega
Established
I haven't but I will definately search for him, thank you.
Bob Michaels
nobody special
Chris' thread "some new images from Fort Wayne" is one of the most viewed here. http://chriscrawfordphoto.com/ Also, an incredibly nice guy. Chris had a stroke several years ago and traded in his big DSLR for a m4/3 and continues to make great photos.
Sega
Established
Yeah, I was reading through the changes he had made to his kit, I can sort of carry a bag in my hands but I can't go shoulder or on my back, my Zorki is also still OK around my neck so I can kind of use it but I'm limited to what fits in my pocket accesory wise so at most a small flash and a couple of rolls, I have to pick a Lens before I start as they arent really pocket safe.
My main issue though is the walking, the longer I move the harder it gets and I am technically not supposed to drive now too.
My main issue though is the walking, the longer I move the harder it gets and I am technically not supposed to drive now too.
randy stewart
Established
disability
disability
I have used a Pentax 67 system for many years, taking landscape photos. When others used to ask about the weight of all the equipment I hauled around, I used to joke that I always found my best photos within 200 feet of the truck of my car. With advancing age and nerve damage which now requires I use a cane to walk, I found last year that I could no longer carry the P67 kit around. I bought a Fuji GA645Zi, assembled a flash, filters and plan to have my general lack of mobility become my limiting factor. I'll keep the P67 system for those shots which actually are within 200 feet of my car.
disability
I have used a Pentax 67 system for many years, taking landscape photos. When others used to ask about the weight of all the equipment I hauled around, I used to joke that I always found my best photos within 200 feet of the truck of my car. With advancing age and nerve damage which now requires I use a cane to walk, I found last year that I could no longer carry the P67 kit around. I bought a Fuji GA645Zi, assembled a flash, filters and plan to have my general lack of mobility become my limiting factor. I'll keep the P67 system for those shots which actually are within 200 feet of my car.
CMur12
Veteran
Hopefully, Colton/Swift1 will make an appearance here. He is a frequent poster to RFF and has struggled with ALS for several years. He gets around in a motorized wheelchair and can no longer hold a camera up to his eye (I believe I got this right), so he holds the camera in his lap and aims it intuitively. Even so, I envy his eye and his compositions.
- Murray
- Murray
Swift1
Veteran
Thanks Murray.
I have been primarily wheelchair bound for the past 6 years. I was doing as Murray says and often just holding my camera in my lap and aiming it by guesstimate, but I can no longer do even that. For most of the past 2 years I have been using a special mount on my chair. More often than not, my friend and fellow member GerryM helps me with taking photos.
Going from walking to relying on a wheelchair is a big step though, and requires some serious rearranging of one's life, but once I did it I was able to regain some of my freedom to get around more and be able to take photos.
Here's a somewhat current photo of my setup,
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
Colton,
I never knew you were in bad health. I'm glad the wheelchair with the camera mount lets you continue shooting. I don't know if you shoot digital as well as film, but many digital cameras, like my Olympus Pen-F, have live view screens that can tilt so you can see them from above the camera. That would work wonderfully with your setup!
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
I've had health problems all of my life, and have never been physically strong. Even before I had the stroke, carrying the big Canon setup I had was hard, but I did it because I liked the image quality I got. After the stroke, 'suffering for my art' by carrying too much weight became much harder and I finally got to where I couldn't do it anymore.
The little Olympus Pen-F I'm using has made life much easier. It is very light, and has incredibly good in-body image stabilization. Like you, I am shaky sometimes and the IS makes handheld shooting possible for me.
I can carry a bag with the Pen-F and the 12-40mm f2.8 Olympus zoom easily. The 12-40 is a big zoom by micro four thirds standards, but is tiny compared to a 24-80mm f2.8, which is the fullframe lens that offers the same angles of view. That lens covers nearly everything I need, though I own a few others, like the 7-14mm f2.8. If you need something pocketable, there are some TINY primes like the 25mm f1.8 (equal to a 50mm f1.8 fullrame lens).
Try not to push yourself too far. I used to be able to walk around all day shooting; can't do stuff like that anymore. Go out for a few minutes at a time, take frequent breaks to rest.
You might get a photographers vest, too. I know a lot of people here make fun of them, but the ones here who admit to wearing them are mainly professionals, so take the ridicule with a grain of salt. I find it much easier to carry things like an extra lens and a light meter, in my vest if I have to work for a long period of time. Doesn't cause shoulder and back pain like a bag does.
KeithH
Member
What an inspirational thread from some inspirational photographers.
FujiLove
Well-known
Indeed. When I'm whinging and whining about having carried a camera all day and have a slightly achy back and sore feet... I think of Colton and it gives me a psychological kick up the @rse!
Rob-F
Likes Leicas
Recovery takes time! Not pushing too soon is probably a good idea. Are you getting physical therapy? It has helped me a lot!
Swift1
Veteran
Thanks Chris.
I used an Olympus E-P1 quite a lot for a few years, and it's still one of my favorite digital cameras. Earlier this year I very nearly convinced myself to get either a Fuji XT1 or a Sony A7, both of which I could theoretically control via my phone, which I can operate via Bluetooth and my wheelchair joystick.
At the end of the day though, I would much rather be shooting film. I know it makes my life more difficult, but I feel I get so much more enjoyment and satisfaction from shooting film.
kxl
Social Documentary
I have severe mobility issues as well. I walk with a cane for short distances (home and office) and use criutches for longer distances, although I do stop frequently to rest — that’s when I take photos, as I am unable to use a camera while walking. I do also use a walker on occasion.
WRT to how I carry my gear - I stash my Sony RX100 in a coat pocket or in a small belt-mounted carrying case. For larger cameras, I carry them with a shoulder harness or a shoulder strap (bandolier style). For other lenses, accessories, I use a backpack. If it’s a light enough load, I use a shoulder bag; however, if it gets too heavy, a shoulder bag throws off my stride.
My wife and I like to travel and while my mobility issues constrain me from seeing as much of these wonderful detinations compared to able-bodied individuals, I just take and accept what I can get.
WRT to how I carry my gear - I stash my Sony RX100 in a coat pocket or in a small belt-mounted carrying case. For larger cameras, I carry them with a shoulder harness or a shoulder strap (bandolier style). For other lenses, accessories, I use a backpack. If it’s a light enough load, I use a shoulder bag; however, if it gets too heavy, a shoulder bag throws off my stride.
My wife and I like to travel and while my mobility issues constrain me from seeing as much of these wonderful detinations compared to able-bodied individuals, I just take and accept what I can get.
Sega
Established
Thank you everyone for your replies.
I am pushing for Physio but the NHS being what it is it's not easy so far all they want to do is throw Tramadol and Diazapam at it in high doses, my parents took me to Urgent care tonight and apparently having no feeling or real function in my right leg is completely normal (I swear it's like a Monty Python sketch) along with pain so bad my neighbours several doors down have probably heard my screams.
I don't have a vest but I do have an old modern German army jacket with swiss army level pockets in my car (I'll have to get somone to fish it out for me as it's a Coupe its a sod to get in the back), it won't manage the DSLR kit but it may manage the RF kit with one of my mini tripods in my jeans pocket.
If my dog wasn't a puller (he's a young very exciatable Lurcher and is a greyhound-Saluki type so is a powerful pooch) he'd be handy as my brother in law gave him a dog combat coat that's built to carry kit (just kidding I wouldn't really do that to him).
I can hold all of my cameras to my eye fine, sitting far easier than standing though.
I wonder if there's a way to make an adaption that attaches to a Analog Camera viewfinder to allow a sensor to effectively give you live view on a screen.
You could use R/C servos with belts to drive manual controls although I'm not quite technical enough to figure out how to make it all work though.
I am pushing for Physio but the NHS being what it is it's not easy so far all they want to do is throw Tramadol and Diazapam at it in high doses, my parents took me to Urgent care tonight and apparently having no feeling or real function in my right leg is completely normal (I swear it's like a Monty Python sketch) along with pain so bad my neighbours several doors down have probably heard my screams.
I don't have a vest but I do have an old modern German army jacket with swiss army level pockets in my car (I'll have to get somone to fish it out for me as it's a Coupe its a sod to get in the back), it won't manage the DSLR kit but it may manage the RF kit with one of my mini tripods in my jeans pocket.
If my dog wasn't a puller (he's a young very exciatable Lurcher and is a greyhound-Saluki type so is a powerful pooch) he'd be handy as my brother in law gave him a dog combat coat that's built to carry kit (just kidding I wouldn't really do that to him).
I can hold all of my cameras to my eye fine, sitting far easier than standing though.
I wonder if there's a way to make an adaption that attaches to a Analog Camera viewfinder to allow a sensor to effectively give you live view on a screen.
You could use R/C servos with belts to drive manual controls although I'm not quite technical enough to figure out how to make it all work though.
Sega
Established
Bit of an update, I got bought cool looking stick and its helping me get about quite a bit.
The Jacket was bought in but strangely I noticed my leather jacket thats meant for a biker actually out pockets it, it'd be no good for the SLR's but I can get RF lenses and the Viewfinder in the pockets, maybe a flash and a small tripod, film I can fit in where theres space and my phone will do the metering.
Going to take the Zorki with a 35 and 50 plus turret finder on a visit to the coast house tomorrow and hopefully I'll get some shots in.
The Jacket was bought in but strangely I noticed my leather jacket thats meant for a biker actually out pockets it, it'd be no good for the SLR's but I can get RF lenses and the Viewfinder in the pockets, maybe a flash and a small tripod, film I can fit in where theres space and my phone will do the metering.
Going to take the Zorki with a 35 and 50 plus turret finder on a visit to the coast house tomorrow and hopefully I'll get some shots in.