The $45 Lighting Rig

Painters Pole Lighting Adaptor

For the longest time we've been using a regular umbrella bracket on the end of a monopod for putting small flashes on it (usually with a small umbrella) for an assistant to hold while we work with off camera lights on location.  It works, but it's a pain.  The monopods aren't really designed to be extended out and held sideways, not even my good Manfrotto one.  They bend and the umbrella clamp tends to rotate sideways when you don't want it too as it's attached to a little metal thinga-ma-jiggy on the tiny monopod screw.  It's a poor solution at best and with the price of monopods and umbrella clamps it isn't a cheap one either.

Enter some genius by Flash Zebra with their $19 Kacey Pole Adaptor.  What it is is a little metal piece that is designed to screw onto the end of a standard painters pole.  Once there it has the standard light stand head used for umbrella clamps or actual studio lights.  It is a well built single piece of metal that once on a pole is attached very firmly.  With it a photographer has the option of attaching a small flash via a standard umbrella bracket or a monobloc studio head like an Alien Bee.  

I went out in search of a very sturdy painters pole and found a high quality one that extended to six feet in length for $26 bringing my total investment to a whopping $45.  The pole I purchased is metal and doesn't bend under the weight of a light.  They had eight foot and longer poles for nominally more money, but I figured six feet was enough for me.  Not only is this lighter and sturdier than my previous setup, but it works better, and costs about one third of the price of a good monopod.  

So if you are looking for a good solution for your on location lighting rig, check it out!  And if you are looking for an umbrella clamp you can see a good metal one here or check out the setup I just ordered from B&H that will let me strap two small flashes on this bad boy lighting rig.  I'll be pairing that with one Pocket Wizard and one of these splitter cords from Flash Zebra to fire both flashes with one remote.  A very sweet combination I hope makes my life easier on location.  

Thanks again for dropping by the blog, I always appreciate your visit.