Photographing a model lying down can be very interesting, but it comes with a unique set of challenges too. Check out this great video on how to do it.
In this video, Gavin Hoey of Adorama TV takes us through his process of shooting a simple overhead portrait in his home studio setup. First up, it all starts with what you have in mind. What is the kind of picture you want to create and what type of background will complement it the best? It starts with the idea, and you have to pay a lot of attention to details, because the conditions differ when shooting overhead. Take gravity for instance. When you lay on the floor and look up straight, it totally changes the way your face looks or hair is distributed. Similarly, lighting also has to be planned accordingly, as the angles are flipped. In this video, Hoey does the trial and error method to achieve the right lighting with his two-light setup. He also tries a couple of backgrounds and poses to capture a story. It does look quite good in the end. And don't forget the safety precautions you have to take for both the model and the gear since you are shooting overhead.
Rigs an overhead camera, that will be over a person, without a safety cable. This is idiotic beyond belief. I don't care if it's only 6', have that come loose and hit a child in the face. If you are on a Foba and you are styling product sure, that's an injury you are choosing to risk.