From the course: Video Lighting: Choosing Lighting Gear

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Light stands

Light stands

From the course: Video Lighting: Choosing Lighting Gear

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Light stands

- So you have some fancy new lights. Now you need a way to use them. It's important to find solid, dependable light stands, that will take a beating, and keep on working. Plus, they're safer to use. Here are a few key features I look for when shopping for a light stand. All metal construction is a must, no plastic parts. I've had the collars crack on me before, when tightening the section. Not good. From now on, it's all metal. Three section light stands are versatile, and will usually go over six feet. A good tip is to not raise the first riser all the way up. If you leave a few inches to spare, the stand will be more rigid. And always take the top section up first. This way, if you need to go higher, it's easier to get to the lowest section without reaching up. I really want to stress safety when working with stands. A light that tips over from six feet up, can destroy your light, or worse, hurt somebody. So be careful, and use sandbags on the legs when the lights are over four feet…

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