This is a “how to ...?” or a “what is needed to ..? inquiry. Unfortunately, it is a fairly low budget project.
The goal is documentation. Most source objects are a flat 12.5” X 12.5”, some are 8.5” X 11”, and a few will be various sizes, mostly smaller. The camera is a simple point and shoot compact. It seems to produce adequate images. I need a way to do things easily and, most especially, consistently. There is a backlog of about 2000 items to photograph; more will come from time to time.
The ideal is that items to be photographed are placed flat on an marked back ground. While some might be photographed in a vertical position, others are too flimsy to stand upright, and in all cases I need the camera view to be straight on. I believe the best way would be for the camera to be suspended directly above the center of the object.
I have some limited information but don’t know where to go with it. I have been told that some tripod heads can be hung under the top of the legs in such a way as to allow the camera to point straight down, but have seen nothing in any tripod description that would let me know if that particular tripod might be useful.
One person said he knew another who photographed many paintings and other art works using what he believed was a “ring stand.” My searches on this term found only lighting equipment, mostly rather expensive. Unfortunately this photographer is not available for questioning.
Years ago I read the review of a general purpose camera that came with some kind of stand meant for photographing documents easily. My guess is that such a stand would have to be custom designed for the particular camera, but one can always hope.