Playing the angles
Pivoting centre columns are great for macro and extreme wide-angle shooting
Centre columns are a hindrance for really low-level shooting.
One popular option is to have a pivoting centre column, so you can rotate it through 90º and use it as a horizontal boom. This enables you to shoot from really low down and it’s also great for extreme close-ups and macro photography. Another bonus is for shooting with ultra-wide-angle or fisheye lenses, as you can avoid the tripod feet creeping into the image.