Adding weight to stabilize flash stands at receptions

[dennis osipiak]

I wondering if anyone knows of a convenient and simple way to secure a light

stand that has a Alien Bee's head on it by ading a weight or something similar

to the base. (I already widen the base "feet" quite a bit. ) I want to avoid

getting it knocked over easily, both for the safety of the guest and my own

liability. I plan on using them sparingly and keeping them as out the way as

light distances permit.

Thanks.. Dennis

[garry edwards]

Sandbags - essential both in the studio and elsewhere

[eric merrill]

Since you're talking about Alien Bees... The Vegabond battery pack has fasteners on it that make it easy to attach to a light stand. That way, you also don't have to worry about running a cord to the nearest outlet.

 

 

Eric

[eric merrill]

p.s. Even with that, I'm paranoid. Part of the duties of my assistant is to watch the lights and herd small children away. :)

 

 

Eric

[larry_hunt]

Dennis, you can plan for every contingency but sometimes you just can't beat Murphy's Law.

I've had a bride knock over a speedo head on a backlight stand with her dress with nobody

else but us in the room. Cost to replace a broken flash tube $125.00.

[twmeyer]

You didn't say if this is formals at the altar, or informals at the reception. But if you're talking reception, especially if there's any dancing, or drinking, or drinking AND dancing, and kids, and old people... well you get the idea, use sand bags on all stands that your assistant isn't dedicated to watching exclusively and has no other duties. You can buy them (empty) from any good pro photo supply house and fill them with sand from your local hardware store. <p>At the formals, especially if they are outdoors, hang <i>something</i> heavy on the stand (down low) and have your assistant stand next to it whenever she/he is not doing something else... t

[edsel_adams]

I've always used "duct tape", for fastening both the stands and cords to the floor at weddings.

 

 

On location, I carry gallon water jugs. These can be duct taped to a stand base for added weight. When you are done, you can drain the water and have only empty plastic jugs to carry.

[bill c.]

Get the little orange weights that Bogen makes. They come in 2.5, 5, and 10 lbs. While they are heavy to lug around, I find them absolutely essential for safety and security. They go off and on the bottom of the stand with an easy handle screw. Nothing else comes close in terms of effectiveness and convenience.

 

If you need more weight for shooting outside, get the bags and fill them with local rocks, etc. But the Bogen weights are far, far better for inside use. -BC-

[kaiyen]

Those Bogen clamp weights look very nice indeed. But I've used the water bottle technique in general (not that I've done it that often) because lugging the sand bags in along with the stands and heads and batteries (if I'm using them) is a lot of weight already. I prefer to use the thickest-walled water bottles I can - milk jugs are too easy to break with a simple kick. The Arrowhead 1 gallon bottles are much more durable. I just fill them up.

 

I've only done this once, though. Haven't needed to other times.

 

allan