Sandbags – Bags Of Sand.

A conversation on Twitter earlier today got me thinking about the humble sandbag – in its pure form, a simple device which we use to weigh down our tripods, lighting supports and… well, anything that stands a chance of getting knocked or blown over by a hefty breeze.

Now, a lot of you will already be thinking about those bulky, dirty, hessian-style things which are used as a last-ditch defence against errant sea water… but the photographic sandbag (in its more polished state) is a wonderful thing. It comes in all kinds of shapes and sizes – and with varying price tags to match.

But let’s not get carried away – it’s a bag, people. Full of sand. Or gravel. Or whatever weighty material you choose to put in it. And, get this, you can even make them yourself, for very little cost and effort.

The picture at the top of this post shows four of the bags I use. Yes, they’re snazzy colours and yes, I’ve attached karabiners to each to make them more versatile.

But if push came to shove (really not the best expression to use when talking about wayward light stands btw), I’d happily reach for a couple of supermarket carrier bags and fill them with rocks or soil in order to create the necessary stability.

The most technical consideration when using sandbags is, after all, where you can place them on the support in question. For lighting stands, it’s always the legs (root those beggars at the source!); for tripods, just suspend them from the centre column or drape over the central hub at the top of the legs.

Mine benefit from having two zipped compartments, separated by a natural fold just about where the yellow handle is. They are constructed out of tough, water-resistant scuff-proof material and I bought them on eBay, from a home-working seamstress, for considerably less than the branded alternatives.

Oh, and as you ask, my filling of choice for the above is construction gravel, purchased from a local builders’ merchants.

Category: Technique