Steve Weinrebe's Mode Studio

Sandbags and Lowel weights are solid methods to anchor down equipment. Well made and cared for, they can last a lifetime. But there is always a need for a weight to hold down one more light stand or something in a photo set, and having some of these inexpensive barbell weights is a smart way to round out the heavy part of your equipment roster. You can buy weights like this, with Olympic or traditional size holes, for a song at Walmart or similar stores (be sure to double bag it).I have used some of these as counterbalances for booms, tying them to the end of the boom with rope. My favorite use is to slip one of these 10 lb. weights over a small light stand till it settles on the legs. Small stands, while having an essential low profile for some sets, can be inherently wobbly (unless you’re using a mini-Mole) and dropping one of these over the stand works great. Use the Olympic size, with the larger center hole, to place over stands.Videographers will use weights like this on small cross-sections at the handling end of a camera boom. For those applications a dumbbell sized bar is mounted on the boom, and then the weights (with the smaller standard hole) can be mounted on either side in whatever combination is necessary to balance the camera.By now you get the idea, simple, cheap, and irreverent; especially if you resurrect some of these weights from a dusty end in the basement, and turn them into professional photo tools.Posted by Steve Weinrebe