Need a very very low stand

I got a strobe awhile back. (einstein) and I like to do a lot of pets.
Some pets are very small, and as I work with my einstein and my poodles I am coming up with a problem. Basically I need to light the small dogs on the ground…sometimes I like to lay down with them and shoot up, get the sky, etc.
Well, no light stand will drop the light low enough. I could sit it on the ground but it's akward and wouldn't work quite like I wanted, not to mention hazardous. Is there some sort of stand I can get that basically barely raises the light off the ground, but still provides the same "benefits" of a regular stand. Thanks in advance

You could always purchase a stand with a boom arm. The boom arm can be pointed down so that the light can be as low as you want. Well, that's what I do at least.

fashionrider wrote in post #16898334
You could always purchase a stand with a boom arm. The boom arm can be pointed down so that the light can be as low as you want. Well, that's what I do at least.

+1 Excellent solution.

Thanks I do not have one of those arms but good tips thank you.

Something like this might be what you're looking for:

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …Backlight_Stand​_with.html

Manfrotto do a short stand, it comes with a floor pod, baby pin spigot and extension pole
The baby pin would sit maybe 3" off the deck

Heres a link with a pic - you dont need the long extension, but it comes in the kit (prices are in aussie dollars too)
http://www.praimaging.​com.au …tudio+Accessori​es/pra0965

ive used a box with the pet on the box, covered with a rug or carpet to get the pet up of ground level. With a low mouted light its still difficult to get the strobe at the right height.

hope that helps.

i have two of these matthews stands http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …7486_Reverse_St​and_7.html

at the lowest setting, with a cheetah stand Qbox 24 and their standard bracket, the bottom of the box is 10 inches off the ground. That is with the bracket at a 90° angle to the stand and the face of the box virtually perpendicular to the ground. With the same set up and a slight downward tilt on the box, it is about 6 inches from the ground.

It works fine but a small boom or grip arm would be a better option that would allow you to put the stand a bit further out of your way.

Studio Titan Side Kicks

How about a floor plate? They are often used with a ball head for remote camera mounting. It will definitely get you down to ground level.

http://www.msegrip.com​/matthews-baby-plates.html

Are you planning on mounting any sort of modifier to the light? If so I'd avoid the backight stand and other background lighting solutions as they aren't too stable with a modifier mounted. One thing you can do is buy a small C-stand (20") and then you have a short C stand with a grip arm that will let you get the light below the head (just pick up a 6" baby pin for the grip head on the arm). You'll be able to get the light pretty much anywhere from the ground up with that set up. Want to put the light right on the top of the base? Just pick up a junior to babyadapter and you can remove the stand and mount the light right on the base. If you want to use a large modifier then the C stand will easily hold a solid boom arm too.

I have a short 12" tripod that the legs will go horizontal to the ground. I put a a stud on it and put my einstein on the stud. You will be limited by your modifier.

I think the minimum height on this one is 1.7 ft. http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …10_Mighty_Baby_​Light.html

When working really low to the ground your biggest issue then becomes your modifier and how that is actually going to fit and be positioned. This is where a short boom art arrangement can come in handy.

A decent tripod actually makes a good base when dealing with modifiers close to the ground, especially with one that lets you adjust the leg angle independent of each other. Just make sure you have clips on the 'back' leg for a sand bag/counter weight.

Those you can get really low.
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …6019_Matthlink_​Stand.html