Against the Wind: Keep Your Light Upright
Umbrellas, light-weight stands and even a modest breeze can be a bad combo. But just because it is windy out does not mean you have to stay in. Three tips to keep your light stands standing, inside.
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The classic method is of course sand bags. They are not terribly expensive, and you can also make them [DIY shot bags tute] if you are handy with a decent sewing machine.
But there are other ways to keep your lights from taking a tumble.
The Happy Camper
Probably the cheapest way (and easiest to transport) is to treat your light stand like a tent. Three sturdy cords and some clothes hanger wire cut into "J-shaped" stakes will hold your umbrella firm in winds strong enough to turn it inside out.
Tip: Loop the cords around the stand well above the ground for more stability.
Advantages: Costs almost nothing, adds almost no weight to your gear pack.
Disadvantages: Once staked, your light stand is not easily moved. Try moving the subject instead. And you'll need to be on ground that you can push a wire stake into -- sidewalks need not apply.
Excess Baggage
If you are already carrying lots of extra weight, you can put it to use stabilizing your stands. I often use a ball bungee to attach my main gear bag to my stand. The more weight, the better.
Tip: Position the bag so it actually hangs from the stand, dangling at a low height off of the ground. You want this vertical force pulling down on your stand. Otherwise, you'll just need enough wind to tip your stand/bag combo over. The leverage works better for you if the weight is actually hanging.
Advantages: Cost is minimal because you already bought the hanging gear. And you already lugged it to the location.
Disadvantages: You may not have enough excess weight to stabilize your stands.
Weight For It…
This is my go-to method, and I find it to be a rock-solid solution. I use a small rope to suspend iron plates (as in weightlifting plates) from my stands, very close to the ground.The hole makes them easy to attach with a short rope, on which there is a loop at each end. I put the rope through the weights, wrap it around the stand and "slip knot" one end through the other. Then I wrap the excess from the leading end around the stand and loop it on a section bolt. Holds great without stressing the stand.
Tip: Again, get the weights off of the ground for better stability. Lower is better, too.
Advantages: Damn-near foolproof -- just bring as much as you need. In the photo above I have 30 lbs stabilizing a large stand, boom and 60" Softlighter. It wasn't going anywhere.
Disadvantages: Like a shot bag, you have to carry the weight with you. Or you can risk it by carrying a short rope and hoping you can scrounge some weight on location that can be tied to your stand.
The VASB
Similar to the Voice-Activated Light Stand, the Voice-Activated Sand Bag is frequently found on location if you know where to look. They are disguised as reporters, assistants and even random bystanders.
A VASB standing next to your stand keeping a hand on it is a great way to get some stability in a pinch.
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How do you keep your stands sunny side up? Are you using ways that were not listed above? Hit us with a tip (the good kind, not the falling light stand kind) in the comments.
(Amazingly appropriate light-blowing-over photo by ole.e.)
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Posted at 12:00 AM.
73 Comments:
I hang a 10 pound rubber coated dumbbell ball-bungeed to my stand's middle post.
haha... love the shot used for this article, btw, good choice.
LOVE this shot!
I lost my oldschool Vivitar 285 on it's first outing when this happened... Problem with shooting drunk friends: They have no reflexes. He seriously just watched it crash in front of him while I was on the other end of a 70-210mm zoom. D'oh!
After that, I bought a sandbag and filled it with lake sand on an outing shortly after.
When I haven't had the sandbag, I use a VASB or my camera bag, which is a backpack with all sorts of waist straps, so I'll weigh it down with that. Or my ginormous On-Stage stands bag that's about four sizes larger than I need (Whoops!), and stuff that through the stand legs.
The PCB Vagabond II portable battery kit has integrated straps that can be buckled around the stand. Works great!
I've used 24 packs of Mountain Dew, attached with gaff tape, a few times. Best part is when the shoot is over you get to drink it.
I clamp my stand (with a $1 clamp from Home Depot) to my Pelican 1510 case. It takes a second, requires no additional equipment and works in all but the windiest situations.
I hadn't ever thought of using stakes, but that's an obvious solution. For anybody who wants to go that route, I'd recommend using some Nite Ize Figure 9's to make guying out the lines super fast and easy, especially because I have a feeling photographers aren't knot guru's like climbers are. http://www.niteize.com/collections/figure-9
They make a couple other things that could be useful for the general gear side of things too- adjustable bungee http://www.niteize.com/products/knotbone-adjustable-bungee and the S-Biner http://www.niteize.com/collections/s-biner
You should be able to find these products at a local outdoors store. I use them for attaching things all the time, and they're great.
On the subject of "scroung[ing] some weight on location", there is a certain substance that is heavy, available almost everywhere, easily fits into containers of different sizes and which can easily be disposed of when no longer used. It's...water. Seriously.
The only trick with water is trying to strike a balance between hard containers - which are easier to handle and tie to a light stand, but which are bulky and take up a lot of space - and soft containers - which can be folded/squashed to take up almost no space, but which can be trickier to deal with on-site.
Water is almost always available, you can have as much weight as you need, and then when you're done, you don't have to schlep 30lbs of weights around with you everywhere.
Best,
Adam
For the "big guns" I tether my battery (explorer XT) to the base of the light stand.
It is a drag carrying this heavy battery, but it is useful as an anchor
@Slippery-
Hmmm... Wonder if Diet Mtn Dew would work, too...
@Adam-
Yes, but then there is water's nasty habit of conducting electricity if you are using AC lights ...
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned this yet. Heavy duty sleeping bag stuff sacks can be filled with dirt or rocks that commonly can be found at most outdoor sites. When the shoot is finished, just dump the rocks back where they were. The stuff sacks are very lightweight and take up very little room in your camera bag. Outdoor Research makes some good models with heavy duty cordura.
Its funny, when I was a young photog and had no money to buy sandbags(that's how broke I was) I used all my old stuff sacks from backpacking. I still use the same sacks 10 years later and I've used the countless times.
I tend to use rocks on the stand legs. Often the places I shoot have a surplus of large and heavy rocks. These can be placed on the upwind stand leg (and the others for good measure) and the stand may sway but it can't tip. The paint on the legs can get scratched a bit, but its not like I'm planning on selling the stand on!
I am using the Profoto waterbags ($12,50) Great for anywhere. Fill em up with water (preferably) or sand. They come with a hook . Great value/price/sturdiness
http://www.holandaluz.com
I've never tried taking my 2 cheapo stands outdoors. I use Superclamps with small flash shoes. More than 90% of the time for me there's something to clamp to. I also have a 3 foot by 2 foot California Sunbounce diffusion panel. It's got a metal frame so can also be clamped to something, and I pack a few elastic cords.
Maybe not perfect, and that Sunbounce panel wasn't too cheap, but it works for me.
I once used a shopping trolly and ball bungeed my lightstand to one corner, make sure you get one with a brake though
Ankle weights - small and heavy. They have straps secure them and they can wrap around the main shaft of a light stand between the legs and braces. They allow most stands to still "mostly fold up" if moving to a new location. (I hate to completely tear down if moving to a new location.) Allows stands to be moved on location. Not much fun to lug very far, however.
I once did a shoot on the top of the cliffs at Seven Sisters, Sussex, UK and I can tell you.... That just isn't funny. You're at a 200 feet drop shooting (don't ever walk around cliffs looking through a 200 f2.8, that stuff can kill you) with incredible windspeed coming in from the sea and i was seriously underhanded.
Luckily I had planned ahead somewhat.
I drilled holes in the legs of my stands and put a little ring through it, through which I put a strong rubber ring (tent like) I used a mallet and some very heavy duty stakes through them and hammered them into the rocky cliffs. I did the same with wires from the middle of the stand and got some nice results! :)
IOW drill holes through the legs of your stands and you can nail 'em down!
I also often find something like a tree or a pole or whatever and ball-bungee the stand to it.
Lately, I've been considering investing in weight vests!
a 20lb weight vest runs at about $38 from walmart.
Alternately, ankle weights or wrist weights would work too.
The weight vest is particularly appealing because it distributes the weight in such a way that it makes carrying the thing a much easier task.
David, any experience with that sort of thing?
David,
Very helpful. Important shoot this weekend using a AB800 and SB800 so will try with VASB method with Slippery When Wet's idea to entice my 14 year old VASB with a Mountain Dew.
Dave6163
I bought some 5 lb and 10 lb ankle weights at Walmart. Very cheap (under $10) and they come with velcro straps.
Things I've used when packing heavy weights wasn't convenient (such as traveling on a plane):
1) You can buy empty sand bags, which are easy to pack and travel with. Then fill them cheaply with kitty litter or rice when you get to your destination city.
2) I once did an outdoor photo shoot where I didn't have any suitable weights. But I was right across the street from a convenience store. So I bought several large bags of ice. It was cheap, and worked very well. But it gave me pressure to finish the shoot quickly before the ice melted!
I use ankle weights that women love for working out, they come with velcro and strap around the central rod of the stand...I have found that 4 KG will do the job in almost all weather.
I read about water filled stand weights sometime over the past 12 to 18 months. Can't remember where, what the company / brand ID is, but I'd have thought something that is configurable wrt use weight versus carrying weight would be a winner. Should google the idea.
...edN
I use ankle weights from Walmart. Around $15 for 2x10-lbs and that works well. Otherwise I hang my Vagabond II on the stand as well so it is just dangling close to the ground.
lightshootedit.com
I have a couple of extra counterweights for boom arms, 4-5 pounds each (like the orange Moanfrotto ones). Clamp 'em to the end of a light stand's tripod legs.
Having weight out at the end of the legs improves stability much better weighting the center of the stand.
As a SCUBA diver, I use dive weights. They are rubber coated lead weights that slide onto a belt. Because the weights are attached to a belt, it makes it easy to sling over your shoulder. When I set it up, I spread the weights along the lower legs.
I like that they're compact, but still a pain to carry over a long distance. I only use it if I'm shooting on a very windy day.
I like the suggestions for ankle weights that others have previously posted. Great idea and fairly inexpensive. I might try that for everyday use and use the dive weights for stronger winds.
I designed and fabricated a small but powerful anti gravitational vortex in which I place my light stands, the only problem is that if I shoot anything over 1/64th power they generate a mini black hole which in turn sucks all the light out of my scene. :-/
I've used weights that are made for holding down those big Easy Up portable shades. They are round discs with a slot in them that either fits nicely around the shaft of the stand or over the leg supports. They weigh about ten pounds apiece so you can use them as needed. I will try to post a picture and a link on Flickr.
Old small stuffsacks with cord attached. Super lightweight, can fill with anything heavy you find on site. Cheap, light and easy!
Great post.
We record orchestras got by with cheap mic stands with no weights for years. What could go wrong?
http://vimeo.com/4919913
That's a $4000+ stereo ribbon mic, by the way. Mucho not smarto.
All ended well--no damages to gear or people, praise God. We've since switched to Manfrotto air cushioned stands & 45 pounds of sandbags on every one.
I was on the way to an outdoor shoot and realized on the drive that it was a bit windy and might need some weight. I stopped at the local grocer and picked up several large bags of beans and rice. I was even able to keep them in the plastic bags to hang and tie the handles. After I was done, I stopped at the same store and tossed the inexpensive dry goods into the Food Pantry barrel to further their use.
I've since bought ankle/wrist weights since they come complete with Velcro straps. In studio to counter a boom with large lightbox I've used one of the nylon bags something like an umbrella or tripod came in and filled that with assorted things for weight.
I keep wanting to stop at one of those "recycled sports" shops to look for either tent stakes (to fit inside the stand's legs' braces) and/or croquet wickets (never can have too many "gadgets!).
Very cool We have used good old ankle wieghts from Walmart for a few years you can vary the weight if you need and they have there own built in velcro straps for handles and the price aint half bad either.. this post is another great example of there are always allot of great ways to fix a problem THESE doo look allot cooler than our ankle weights...
My favorite solution is to carry along some empty small canvas book bags (they have built-in canvas handle straps). These are a little smaller than the popular cloth grocery bags. It's easy to find heavy objects on location (rocks, water bottles, books, etc) to fill at the time and leave behind when I'm done. The canvas handles will quickly loop onto the lower light stand knobs and make a quick, portable and easy hanging weight.
- Ron
Okay, now how do you keep the wind from folding the umbrellas over?....
When working outside, I've switched to more aerodynamic light modifiers since umbrellas catch any kind of wind so efficiently. Granted, they are smaller and definitely not windproof, but lightboxes and beauty dishes don't need nearly the protection that umbrellas do.
Those corkscrew tie-out stakes for dogs on a chain or leader work good for an anchor hold, if you are fortunate enough to find yourself on soft ground. They are $3- $4 dollars most places and work good for "heeling" your errant light stand.
Thanks for the other tips David.
That orchestra video might represent the single worst choice of placement I've ever seen.
It also reminds me of my favorite lightstand when there's no wind: An Atlas MS-12 mic stand (round weighted base type) with a 3/8" adapter and umbrella swivel.
Holds a strobe with a small reflector, easy to move around in a crowd, and you can stand it on a table if you need extra height or want to keep it away from dancing drunks. I use them all the time when shooting bands in clubs, lets me put lights in places where a tripod stand would be be impractical.
The downside is that they're a pain to transport. Incredibly useful around the home, though.
I have almost completely stopped using umbrellas as they become disposable items when shooting outdoors in Oklahoma. I've anchored stands so they won't blow over and had umbrella's get damaged by the wind. Using a beauty dish almost exlcusively now in conjunction with low powered SB-600s bare or gelled.
I use old paint and coffee cans filled with cement that have a loop of rope coming out the top for carrying and hanging on stands. The trick is tying a short stick or wooden dowel to the bottom of the rope before pouring in the cement. This gives the cement something to grab onto besides the rope. Make lots of different sizes to use as needed, painting them black for the designer look. They also make a nice counter balance for booms. If you want to make additional cheap stands your studio you can insert 4' or 6' foot 1x2's into the cans for clamping reflectors, silver cards etc. With these, I drive a couple of screws into the bottom of the wood for the cement to grip. We call it a "Stick in the Mud".
weighing it down is not a problem. The real problem is when the wind gusts just a bit and inverts the umbrella.. basically destroying it. I had a VASB holding the stand, it wasnt going anywhere, but the wind was blowing into the umbrella like a sail. It was more than the umbrella could handle.
The quick fix to fighting wind is to make sure you're not "catching" the wind like a sail. So turn and readjust your angle, if possible, so the umbrella doesnt get inverted.
I use 2 litter water bottles taped together with gaffer tape. I can bring empty ones with me or buy them at the location. After the shoot you can drink them.
Rather than use string with tent pegs I use one over each leg of the stand - much quicker to set up but perhaps sacrificing a bit of stability.
The westcott umbrellas are especially fragile, I killed one went it took a fairly gentle dive with an SB800 and the shaft actually snapped. No more umbrellas in higher winds for me, even if they don't fall they invert.
Another alternative is to use a tall tripod with centre column extended. Might not always get the height you need but much more stable due to the wide platform and you can hang/stake off the hook.
Home Depot sells a nice zippered bag in the tool box aisle for about $3. It holds about 10lbs of pebble rocks and even has a loop on the end for attaching a bungee cord. I think they call it a document pouch. I made 4 sandbags for about $15.
Saunders used to sell a sandbag that you fill with water. I don't know where to buy them, but maybe the blogosphere can help.
My wife and I just made some DIY Sandbags tonight! I took and old pair of Levi's cut them up and was able to make 4 sand bags. 1 bag has two ziplock bags sewed inside. I covered the sand filled ziplock bags with duct tape to prevent punctures and leaking. The bag hangs over the inside legs of my light stand. Just tested it in 15mph wind. The wind was bending my stand but the stand was staying on the ground.
This is not as good as hanging the weight as suggested from David, but its a cheap alternative, and a good use of an old pair of jeans!
My wife and I just made some DIY Sandbags tonight! I took and old pair of Levi's cut them up and was able to make 4 sand bags. 1 bag has two ziplock bags sewed inside. I covered the sand filled ziplock bags with duct tape to prevent punctures and leaking. The bag hangs over the inside legs of my light stand. Just tested it in 15mph wind. The wind was bending my stand but the stand was staying on the ground.
This is not as good as hanging the weight as suggested from David, but its a cheap alternative, and a good use of an old pair of jeans!
You forgot to mention the vagabond II is a great sandbag if you are carrying your big flash. Disadvantage: only one vagabond if you are using 2 lights..
When I use hotshoe flashes, my son(s) have been a tried and true VASB/VALS system. However the maintenance cost is HIGH! The pizza buffet isnt getting any cheaper and now they are demanding ice cream and sometimes cash on top of that after a shoot...
Here they are at work, although sometimes not so diligently!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3252/3288367083_66f6191abb_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2532/4059343583_f15f08cc3a_o.jpg
I've used those jugs with handles that every kind of liquid known has been sold in and then fill it with water. Attach via a sturdy cord through the handle.
Also good are cloth shopping bags like the kind we all use now in place of plastic. They can be filled with whatever is on hand onsite and don't contribute to weight or bulk.
And, in a pinch, kitty litter sold in 2 kg plastic jugs works nicely and doubles as traction help in snow if you forget about it and leave it in the car. For appearances, disguise it in the cloth shopping bag (see above).
I modded a Vagabond II to fit into a backpack and added an extra battery. Twice the run-time and it weighs in around 30 Lbs. A piece of 550 paracord looped through the top handle of the bag makes for easy attachment to a light stand (25-35 mph wind is not uncommon here).
Its a wonder how no one has made an umbrella that allows some wind to go through it maybe some slits at the top to allow a bit of air to pass. Considering we are not using these to stop water from going through I dont think the slits would be big enough to interfere. What do you guys think?
How about some big metal or plastic spring clamps with a nylon rope tied through one end and the other attached to a tent stake? You can clamp the one end on the legs or center shaft of the stand. The clamps are easy to remove and if you are moving the stand, and there is enough rope length, you can reattach it without having to pull up the tent stakes.
If you don't have time or don't want to do DIY style, I found cheap yoga sandbags on amazon. They have another zip bag that goes inside the outer bag in case of a spill. The link if you need it:
http://www.amazon.com/YogaAccessories-Unfilled-Sandbag-Yoga-Pilates/dp/B000HZE7CU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1273591603&sr=8-1
This topic has been hot discussion locally for me, I have been testing different ways to make a nice, quick weight down for my stands. So far, the best method I have found is I took an old horse shoe shaped pillow (the kind used to support the head and neck) and filled it with aquarium rocks. The overall weight is close to 10 pounds, wraps nicely around the stand and rests solid over the support legs. I tested it out in 20Km/hour winds in my backyard with a small 32inch shoot-through umbrella... solid.
I use the Bogen Nano stands, and I carry them around with a length of rope that has one of those spring-loaded ring-shaped clips you can get at Home Depot attached to either end: one clip goes between the umbrella mount and the top of the light stand, one clip goes around one of the legs.
When it's windy, I just leave that strap clipped on at the top, position the stand next to something stationary like a sign post, wrap the rope around said post, and then clip the other end back onto the stand, usually onto one of the adjustment knobs. Just make sure it's tied in the opposite direction as the wind, and all is well. This also works great for inclined surfaces: just let the stand lean and keep it in place with the rope.
Hey Dave,
Not sure how to contact you other than the blog, but I thought I'd share some amazing concert photos I came across. matt miller is based out of Atlanta and shot this concert in January. It looks like he fired off a bunch of speedlites and an atlanta venue and was shooting most of them at f/22... I was blown away by these in comparison to most other small gig concert photos. Thought you'd like to see.
http://www.thefivemilegrace.com/photoblog/?p=725
Drill 1/4 inch holes through legs and drive "J" tent spikes into the ground through the legs
i carry 2 liter soda bottles (empty) fill them up on site, and tie a shoelace around the rim, then tie to the stand. never really tested these in high winds, but they are really safe from a watertight POV, easy to transport, and you can hang as many as you want.
Large Dollar Store pencil case , filled with Dollar Store decorative Rocks, and to finish it off a Dollar Store Carabiner.
I buy cheap ankle weights from thrift stores for a couple bucks. wrap em around stands/legs. at 5-7 lbs apiece, they work for lighter winds. Carry them around in a canvas toolbag.
Would it be possible, on soft ground, to peg the light stand? I'm thinking tent pegs if you're carting some rope with you anyway.
4 litre (1 gallon) wine cask bladders and recyclable shopping bags. Carry empty, fill the bladder with sand or water and place in the bag, at a pinch just fill the bag with rocks.
Do not leave it until the night before an important shoot to empty 3 or 4 wine casks though!
But how to avoid the umbrella to be blown to pieces
I found that C-stands work better than tripod stands. I bought some 1 gallon water jugs with handles, and then fill those about half way with beach sand, and use the handles to hook onto the stands. if there is no grass to put stakes, you can also tie some clothes line to the top of the stand, and any inanimate object like a door, a tree, a water faucet. You can buy that kind of rope in Home Depot in various colors.
I'm a nikon shooter by heart and I actually used a Canon 1ds mark II/70-200 combo as my sandbag once out in the field....http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=12001167&id=667710541
Nikon shooter by heart and I actually used a Canon 1ds Mark II/70-200 combo as my sandbag once while in the field...http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=12001167&id=667710541
Though it may be a little pricey, perhaps someone could get together with the folks at Segway to make a light stand. I'm sure the gyroscopics in the Segway could be scaled down to suit simply keeping the stand upright.
I usually use my camera bags... with varying success. haha. I've cracked the feet on my Vivitar 285s multiple times because they were blown over. (fortunately I have been able to fix them).
I haven't tried hanging the bags like you mentioned. I'll have to try that. Or just buy some small sandbags.
I clamp my light stand to my Segway...haha! I wish! Transportation in, steady lighting, transportation out!
In light breezes on the beach, I'll use something that's intended for sprinkler drip systems. It's just a simple U-shaped thick wire, about six inches long, with pointed ends. It pushes well into the sand. I'll use two on each leg of the light stand. It won't withstand high winds, and I usually throw a camera bag on a leg or two. It certainly slows the descent of the stand, if nothing else.
Other tip: buy the cheapest umbrellas you can find. They all crumple, so treat them as semi-disposable (and handy shock absorbers for when your speedlight hits the ground).
I usually travel with rope, hooks, tent stakes and some flat plastic plates. When I can, I'll buy 1-gallon jugs of water ($1 each) at the job site. Works well, and you can drink the water.
I'm sure you can figure out the use of tent stakes, but when I'm on the beach, I'll attach ropes to the plastic plates (two holes pre-drilled in the center) and bury them in the sand. It seems to work best to put a piece of elastic between the stand and cord. That bit of stretch seems to let the stand move just a bit and not pull the plates out of the sand.
I do this quite often with tent pegs. But, just as when using them with a tent, different types of pegs are more suited to different (soft/hard/wet/whatever) ground, so shop around.
Then I just bungee the bases of the stands to the tent pegs. Like David says, makes it tricky to move your stand around, it's pretty much fixed in place, but that brolly/softbox is going nowhere. :)
If you're looking at saving weight, get the aluminium or light weight plastic ones.
I use my bicycle and put it over the foot of the stand. And ask the 'model' also to come by bike; which in Holland is not unusual.
i second the ankle weights...i bought a pair of 20lb weights...figured i could just strap 'em on when i need to relocate...i under estimated 20 lbs....but man o man, you should see my calves now! ;)
When I was shooting weddings I secured my light stands with what we jokingly referred to as "Dead Baby Seals". I simply scrounged a couple of large truck tire inner tubes, cut them in thirds, and filled them with sand securing the ends with hoseclamps. They were very pliable, heavy enough to weigh the stands down, and easily handled. The only problem was the political incorrectness of the term which would shock the guests. Subsequently, they were hereafter referred to as "DBS"s...
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