The MacGyver Method

<p>I'm going to describe my latest MacGyver tool for wedding photography and invite others to show their MacGyver wedding photography tool(s) in the interest of sharing some good ideas for solving lighting or other problems 'in the field' when photographing weddings.</p>

<p>As you probably know, MacGyver was a television series character famous for getting himself and others out of dire straits using found objects. The reason my newly created lightstick qualifies as a MacGyver tool is because all of it, including accessories, fits on (or in) my shoulder bag, which is not enormous to begin with.</p>

<p>I use off camera lighting a lot, and have the usual compact stands, flashes and umbrellas. However, I sometimes find myself in the middle of nowhere with nothing more than my camera, shoulder bag and a bridal couple expecting great images of themselves. In the past, I used on camera lighting, because that was all I could do (short of natural light, of course). Where I am, the sun shines a lot, and fill flash is needed (I can also create my own subject lighting by overpowering ambient) to balance the exposure with bright backgrounds and highlights on subjects. Now, I can create directional lighting, and softer lighting (in less bright conditions) outside, and even have directional lighting plus backlighting--all out of my shoulder bag.</p>

<p>Photo A shows my lightstick, which is actually stolen from a very old Siegelite flash bracket. It has one extension, with the final length being approximately 18", excluding the flash itself. I added a cold shoe, carabiner and wrist strap. The carabiner is so I can clip it to a belt, and the wrist strap can be used for security and for clipping to my holster style strap. The whole thing, including an umbrella, can hang off my left side, allowing me to use my left hand for adjusting the camera/lens. I can also use the flash on my right side by extending my arm under the arm holding the camera.</p>

<p>As you see in Photo D, I can also add a 20" white umbrella by using 2 large pieces of velcro through which I've embedded a piece of vinyl tubing just big enough to hold the umbrella shaft. Photo E shows the close up view. I can use both the Canon wireless sytem and/or my Cybersync triggers. The best part of this is everthing fits on the back of my bag (Photo F). Photo C shows the effect of the umbrella but be warned--photographing a small subject will not tell you how the umbrella will light a human being. Obviously, the umbrella, because it is only 20", is best used with short subject distances--half lengths and close ups, although a full length with the umbrella will still be better than hard light from a bare flash, although only slightly.</p>

<p>On the front of my bag (Photo G) is a small mini tripod. I've fixed it up so that the lightstick can sit on the tripod, to hold my Morris wide slave, which also rides in my bag. This is great for backlighting. Photo H shows the set up.</p>

<p>The lightstick can also hold my 40D for 'up in the air' overhead shots of crowds.</p>

<p>Let's see your MacGyver wedding photography tool!</p><div></div>

<p>wind not an issue with the umbrella? thats my major reason of not wanting to use an umbrella outside...unless i got an assistant holding it, its going to go down and break my pocketwizard... i think i'm on my 3rd...</p>

<p>Since the umbrella is on a flash which is held by me, wind can't knock it over. I have Honl velcro straps on my flashes, and the velcro I made the holder from is pretty strong (grip), so unless it is in a wind storm, I don't think I'd have trouble in a moderate breeze. The umbrella is also not that big.</p>

<p>Wow Nadine. I applaud you on ingenuity, creativity and functionality. I think you should patent it :) No really, this is really interesting and very creative. Can you show us any photo's that you taken with this setup?</p>

<p>Thanks, Anton but haven't used it on a wedding yet. If you use off camera lighting, I'm sure you know what the effects are.</p>

<p>Do you have any clever tools??? This is why I started the thread. Hopefully we can all share.</p>

<p>Here's another one--the yellow bungee cord you see on my bag gets used to strap the bag to my light stand, in place of a sand bag. It works really well and is always handy on the bag.</p>

For my first (real) attempt at low key portraiture, I realised that bounce/diffuse flash with my Demb even at high shutter speed was just not going to cut it. I needed more directional lighting with minimal spill. Solution? I got an old newspaper, rolled it up into a cone shape, got out some adhesive tape and snooted my 580 EXII. I put my subject in front of the bathroom mirror, used my 5-in-1 reflector in "black mode" to kill the background and bounced off the mirror. Sorry I don't have a photo of the setup. The result, though, is here :) http://www.photo.net/photo/10155356

<p>Interesting ideas here Nadine. It's nice to see the Siegelite flash bracket mentioned, it was my first pro bracket and they were produced here in Chicago, I've still got one that I keep for sentimental reasons more than anything else. Occassionally, I mount the extra flash to a monopod and will use an assitant for the off-camera directional lighting. Over the years I've had some McGyver moments when I had to make do with materials at hand. Once I forgot the heavy-duty tripod to a long roll camera so I ended up stacking boxes on the seat of a chair to get the camera at the right height. I've always got duck tape in with my bag of supplies. One of my favorite home-made devices was the K-mart deer spotlight rig that was used for directional lighting by Parker Pfister....it's use was demonstrated in one of the Photovision DVDs.</p>

<p>It's pretty cool. I've seen something similar at strobist.com. I have also been wanting also to find a way to be more mobile and lighter than with an umbrella and stand. But what I found real quick was that it's a pain to hold something with one hand and shoot with the other.</p>

<p>The 4 section stands aren't very big, and my photo backpack is heavy enough to keep it, with the umbrella, from falling over unless the wind really picks up. Haven't lost a flash yet, though sooner or later probably will.</p>

<p>Rob--it is a pain to hold something with one hand and shoot with the other. However, that's why I have the carabiner and wrist strap on my light stick. Another thing I consider necessary for this kind of shooting is the vertical grip on the camera, which makes holding and releasing the shutter with one hand much more stable.</p>

<p>With the wrist strap, you just let the whole thing hang from your wrist while you use your left hand to work controls. Then you pick up the stick when you are ready to shoot and just shoot. The stick is much smaller and lighter than a monopod (the normal basis of a light stick), and even with the umbrella on the flash, I don't have much trouble holding it with one hand and shooting with the other, even the underhanded way for shooting with the light coming from my right. You can also rest the end of the stick against your right hip.</p>

<p>When you aren't holding it (either with your hand or off your wrist), you can clip it to a belt or, in my case, my holster camera strap. It hangs off my left side (even with a camera there), and I can even walk with it--to go to another location.</p>

<p>I have two compact stands and two Sunpak 120Js, which I use a lot, and this is why I still don't have samples using the light stick. I use the former items when I can. The light stick is for those times where, for whatever reason, I don't have my off camera lights and stands with me.</p>

<p>Just recently, I used the light stick for an engagement session on a beach, where I'd have to trek across the length of the beach to get to some rocks. No way would a stand, flash (or umbrella) work, not to mention carrying it all and back and attracting the attention of the park rangers who are on the look out for people without commercial photography permits.</p>

<p>At weddings, there have been plenty of times where the reason I didn't have my off camera gear was time. Sometimes you are literally given 5 minutes to shoot couples shots, starting this moment. So you have no time to go back and get an off camera flash, let alone two off camera flashes, which you have to place, etc. Or you are photographing the couple in front of the sunset and again, don't have time to get your off camera flash--those sunsets go pretty fast.</p>

<p>By the way, I've repaired one of my Sunpaks twice this year for crashing to the ground. One was due to wind, the other was because I was stupid and pulled it off balance when I lifted a strap under the stand legs. I've also caught it several other times due to wind. You may want to get a bungee cord like I mentioned above, to hang your bag or backpack from the stand base in place of a sandbag.</p>

<p>As far as light sticks go this is what I get my assistant to hold sometimes, I'm not one for holding sticks and photographing though, I need two hands on my camera.</p>

<p><img src="http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/6426/dsc2183yd.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Nadine - Have you ever tried the Bogen Lightstand clamp (see photo)? Works great. Of course your bag will weigh that much more however. They just clamp on the bottom of your lightstand (mine are all Bogen/Manfrotto's) but pretty much fit anything. Really steadies up the stand outdoors on all but the windiest days. Your setup does make for a neat, compact rig. Very creative.</p><div></div>

<p>No Steve, I haven't tried those. But as you say, my bag will be heavier, and since I carry my bag anyway, making it the 'sandbag' is efficient, no?</p>

<p>Nice idea, though--how much weight does it add? My sandbags are 15 pounds--never weighed my shoulder bag--probably pretty heavy.</p>

<p>this is a great thread. I am still innovating things all of the time to use in my photography. I am right now working on an easy to move stand, but so far, nothing as compact as yours Nadine. But you definitely have me thinking :)</p>

<p>There is a new product out called a Cheetah stand. The legs fold when you pick it up. It is a copy of a product made years back by Redwing--called a QwikStand (which I have). It is great for working in a reception hall and moving around. The only drawbacks are--it doesn't fold down small--like 30-36" as compared to 20" for my compact stands, and it doesn't open up well on grass. The leg spread also isn't that huge. However, it is a handy product if moving around easily is your primary concern.</p>

<p>Sorry for the slow response as I was out of town for a few days. The Bogen clamp weighs about 5 pounds and is "fairly" compact. Since 100% of the weight is centered it's fairly efficient. </p>