How much sandbag weight should one use?

[Peter C.]

What I'm saying is the idea that you're going to hire an assistant to stand with every unmanned light stand you stage around a wedding dance floor is incongruous with the way the business is done

What Bassman is saying is if the client wants better or more elaborate coverage they can hire more than one person. A second camera man job isn't just to stand next light stand, they're manning another camera and doing whatever needs to be done. While you do bride prep, the do groom prep, while you film formal photoshoot, they are filming cocktail hour, etc

 

[ahalpert]

What Bassman is saying is if the client wants better or more elaborate coverage they can hire more than one person. A second camera man job isn't just to stand next light stand, they're manning another camera and doing whatever needs to be done. While you do bride prep, the do groom prep, while you film formal photoshoot, they are filming cocktail hour, etc

I have a second cameraman shooting under me but I need them to get a variety of coverage and not just stand by the master shot.

Besides that, every videographer and photographer I've seen doing a wedding reception leaves at least a few lights and or cameras unmanned around the area. Nobody is going to hire an additional assistant for every stand they want to stage

 

[Peter C.]

I have a second cameraman shooting under me but I need them to get a variety of coverage and not just stand by the master shot.

Besides that, every videographer and photographer I've seen doing a wedding reception leaves at least a few lights and or cameras unmanned around the area. Nobody is going to hire an additional assistant for every stand they want to stage

When they're positioned on the periphery they can be left unattended, but that's not what you were talking about. Normally one person would be on monopod and could get the high shot or you'd have a safety camera mounted up high on the periphery to cover when you're blocked.

You seemed to be talking in circles. Its not complicated what I'm saying is it's not safe to leave something unattended in the middle of a dance floor even if you brought a heavy enough sand bag to prevent it from tipping over because still is a tripping hazard.

 

[ahalpert]

When they're positioned on the periphery they can be left unattended, but that's not what you were talking about. Normally one person would be on monopod and could get the high shot or you'd have a safety camera mounted up high on the periphery to cover when you're blocked.

You seemed to be talking in circles. Its not complicated what I'm saying is it's not safe to leave something unattended in the middle of a dance floor even if you brought a heavy enough sand bag to prevent it from tipping over because still is a tripping hazard.

Nobody is talking about putting something in the middle of the dance floor. But people typically put lights, which are around the same weight, in approximately the same level of traffic that you say requires a babysitter. Ergo meatbag for one, meatbag for all

Ideal position is probably on the x below or just to the left and down

 

[ahalpert]

Lightning has struck my brain. I have pictures and thoughts to share from yesterday later. It went well. But this morning I've been mulling over a lightweight, portable guardrail solution to prevent tripping over the light stand so I can confidently place it anywhere. Something like panels that lay on the openings between the legs, or short walls standing from foot to foot.

I'm sitting here feeding my baby banana puree in his playpen when it hit me -- 4 panels of this playpen would do the job brilliantly. It's lightweight, cheap, and it's super fast to open and close. Maybe get one in black or just drape a fabric around it. Or leave it gray for better visibility. No tripping, plus a buffer to prevent bumps of the stand.

This is the one we have. I might even have the extra panels lying around already. If not, 4 panels are $60 and 11 lbs total.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/TODDLER...-Yard-Two-Panel-Gray-Extension-8662/204285836

 

[morgan_moore]

Have you heard of a 'tank trap'

They are heavy and harder to trip over than a lightstand.

http://www.doughty-engineering.co.uk/cgi-bin/trolleyed_public.cgi?action=showprod_T54250

 

[ahalpert]

Have you heard of a 'tank trap'

They are heavy and harder to trip over than a lightstand.

http://www.doughty-engineering.co.uk/cgi-bin/trolleyed_public.cgi?action=showprod_T54250

that would certainly be more discreet and largely solve the tripping problem (although if I add sandbags on top, someone could trip over those).

but it only weighs 35 lbs -- about the weight of 2 of the sandbags I'm using. and it has a narrower base than the light stand. I wonder how the stability compares.

here's the same thing sold by a DJ lighting company that comes with a pole that only goes up to 8': https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...tand-multi-purpose-telescoping-lighting-stand

obviously you could get just the base and use a taller pole, but I wonder if it would be wise to go to 13' with this like I do with the light stand I'm currently using...

at my last wedding, I sheltered my stands beside or behind the band's speakers. it wasn't these units, but the same basic shape:



And that got me asking myself why their speakers are safe for people to walk around. obviously, they're bottom-heavy and have a very large base. but you also can't trip over them. the worst that could happen is you could stub your toe. that got me thinking about putting up walls around the base of the light stand...

the tank trap would obviously be preferable for numerous reasons, but I'm not sure it would be safe enough or if it could get me enough height...

 

[ahalpert]

So, at my last wedding there was a very shallow dance floor and I felt that I could predict where the couple would dance, like shooting fish in a barrel. I just put my master shot at the safest location, snuggled next to the band's standing speaker. The shot worked in the sense that I got an unobstructed view of the action and saw some of the world.

​

​But it does feel like the camera is bearing down on them a bit. There's no foreground, and I think the room looks smaller and less impressive than it was in reality. Even more true for the father/daughter dance.

​​​​​

I think I should have positioned the camera off-screen on screen left. Similar height, tilted up a bit more, shooting down the length of the ballroom. Below is a b-roll shot I got with a 50mm. You're never gonna get a look like that with a high-angle 14mm, but that's more what I want the room to look like.



So, the experience reinforces my desire to be able to safely stage the camera wherever I choose. I have ordered another toddler play yard like the one I have, along with a 5'x15' black satin cloth. It should arrive in time to play on Saturday's wedding.

I also went high for the master at the ceremony itself, bringing out my larger-footprint stand even though I didn't need more height than my smaller stands offer. The ground wasn't quite level, but the wind was low and the camera was not in the vicinity of any people, so because it felt more like an equipment-risk situation rather than a safety situation I was much more willing to take a risk.