The overhead shot has become a staple in filming. It’s a popular way to frame cooking, crafting, and tutorial videos where you need a clear view of your workspace. Overhead shots offer a clean and informative angle for your video, but they take a little bit of maneuvering to perfect. Achieve a clear and secure shot for your next project with these different ideas on how to use camera rigs for overhead shots.

Use an Overhead Rig

You can’t go wrong with a professional overhead rig. With a wide range of options—like overhead frames, horizontal bars, multi-mounts, and more—overhead rigs offer a secure and versatile approach to your shot. Using a full overhead rig also gives you complete control over your camera, mics, lighting, and everything else you need to perfectly capture your subject. If you don’t have the space for this studio-grade equipment, desktop mounts and tripod-friendly horizontal bars help you frame your shot in a smaller space without sacrificing quality.

Angle Your Tripod

A little creativity goes a long way with your camera rigs. Even without an overhead rig, you can use your tripod to capture the top-down angle your video needs. A tall tripod is your best bet here. Extend your tripod as high as you need it to go and tilt the camera down. You might not be able to get a 90-degree top-down angle, but you can still get close enough for a clear and useful shot.

If you don’t have a tripod tall enough to manage an overhead shot on its own, there are a few tricks you can try. One is to bring the legs closer together for a little added height. Alternatively, tilt your tripod so that two legs are leaning against a table and the back leg extends to lean it securely against the table. This will improve your camera tilt for a better shot. Always remember to ensure your camera is secure before you start experimenting with your tripod. Similarly, make sure your rig is steady and won’t fall over mid-shoot before you begin filming.

Get Creative With Mirrors

Another fun and simple trick for how to use camera rigs for overhead shots is to mess around with mirrors. This technique allows you to use any professional video camera rig you like to get a neat overhead shot. Simply hang or angle a mirror over your subject, then set up your camera to film the mirror. Fiddle with the angle and zoom until you have a clear image of your subject in the mirror. Of course, the video will be flipped due to the reflection. However, you can fix this easily by flipping the video back during the editing process.

No matter how you get your shot, make sure you capture professional-quality videos with versatile and durable equipment from Glide Gear. Browse our collection of tripods, rigs, accessories, and more to find everything you need to capture every perfect angle.