While in a foreign country on a forced vacation I found myself involved with some off-camera flash thanks to the great articles posted by Mr. David Hobby at www.strobist.blogspot.com.

With off-camera flash, the aim is to try to light subjects with remotely controlled flashes from different angles to provide better lighting than just ambient. A good rule to remember when using this method of lighting is that a large light source will provide a smoother source of light, and push light into those places where a harsh, small light will put shadows. So, after learning this I wandered around looking for something to use as a reflector. I tried some cookie sheets, which worked ok. I tried some white cardboard; it performed well too. But none of them could provide me with the light that I was looking for. That is, until I found the exact item I needed. While searching through a scrap metal bin (dumpster diving for the win), I came across a discarded housing for a bulb of a "light plant". Light plants are those wheel-around generators with 4 huge lights mounted on a retractable boom. See:



I found the metal housing, which was perfect. After scrounging around some more, I was able to find the ring that held the glass in place (when it had glass), and a screw that fit just right to hold the ring in place. After cleaning this all up I cut open a white pillow case and placed it over the aperture. I put the ring on and cut off the excess case. Now I had my reflector.

But a reflector is worthless if you have to hold it the whole time. How are you supposed to take pictures if you are holding a huge reflector with both hands, and how do you get different angles? You build a light stand, that's how. But where in the world am I supposed to get the resources to build a light stand in this place? Improvisation is key!

It just so happened that the next day someone threw away a pair of crutches in a dumpster. SCORE! Crutches are made from aluminum tubing and are extremely strong. They also have holes pre-drilled for adjustments and attachments, etc. This is exactly what I was looking for. Now how to build a light stand from it?

I thought on it for a couple of days before beginning the build, because I wanted something that I could adjust and move easily, but would be sturdy too. And since I didn't have any tools besides a Gerber Multitool, I would have to be clever about it. I wanted at first to use 3 crutches to make a tripod which I could adjust. I thought it would be easy, but after much consideration and eye-balling, I just couldn't find a good way to do it without over-complicating the build process, and requiring tools that I had no access to. It would have to be one crutch and it would have to be modified to work.

This is what I came up with:





The photos above show how the top, portable portion of the stand works. It still has the original leg at the bottom which allows it to be adjusted about 6 inches in height. Since it is made from aluminum tubing it is very light and portable. I can have an assistant hold it like a monopod, or pick it up and hold it over the subject.

But what about when there is no assistant? Well, as it happens I came across the perfect solution to this too. Someone was throwing away a stand-up oscillating fan! I disassembled the base of the fan, removed the leg from the crutch, and it fit like a glove. So when I need the light to stand by itself, I just place it on the fan base.

Like so: