speedlights ON a backpack?

Hi, all,

 

I attended an event some months ago at which I saw a photographer wearing a backpack. extended above the backpack on monopods or booms or something were two speedlites, fairly high (two or three feet) over the photographer's shoulders, both pointed forward,. Obviously there was an external battery (or two) in the backpack.

 

I currently use a flash bracket, but I've got an event coming up this summer that will have me on my feet and walking around a lot and shooting a lot, and I think that such a setup would give me more light and more battery duration, and let me carry the extra weight longer. The height of the arms also would serve to get the flash even farther off the camera than does my bracket.

 

I haven't been able to find such a rig and I'm wondering if a stock rig of this sort exists or if I would have to engineer it myself. Has anyone seen or done anything like this? Many thanks for any info.

I haven't seen such a pack. - Maybe check the spelunking scene? - When you cobble something together maybe integrate an option to fire just one speedlight at a time? I am not sure if the double light source will look great. Also keep in mind that door trims tend to be rather solid... - So maybe make sure to bump just cheap metal that you can restraighten instead of your $200+x worth of speedlights into them. I bumped my crash helmets a few times so far.

In doubt I'd try to mate a framed rucksack with another tube from either a late indoors clothes drying rack or (kids'?) camping chair and connect something to hold my speedlights with long NRC attaching screws.

In my younger days, when there was enough snow pack but it was before the ski resorts opened, we used to us an internal frame back pack with side compression straps to lash our skis to it, put our ski boots

inside the pack. We would then enter hike up the mountain for a couple of hours, get in a run, then do it again. It really demonstrated the value of a lift ticket. You could probably do the same with aluminum light stands or mono pods.

Monopods would be an expensive option unless you can find some really cheap ones, complete with heads or 1/4" screw thread. And then you need additional hotshoe adapters.

 

A better bet would be to buy a couple of small lighting stands and just use the top section. You'll still need adapters to clamp the hotshoes of the speedlights to the stands. Possibly radio triggers too, otherwise the wiring might present a strangulation hazard!

You could look here: Product Review: Clik Elite Volt Studio Light Backpack or make something yourself? An old framed rucksack would be a good starting point then clamp poles to it. Camptrails made some fantastic framed rucksacks.. check out any used available items online. Here's a DIY: DIY Backpack OctoDome for Lighting Solo Shoots