Need a lighting gear bag

[Nikolai]

I've been using a cheapo shotgun/rifle bag for a while. Fits a couple stands and umbrellas nicely and it's padded. It's a rectangular one, not the typical tapered off one. Came with a sling and was all of $10.

[Coolclarkie]

Here is my secret, I have picked up a couple of Golf bags that are used to ship the clubs on airplanes. I got mine at a resale shop for 5 and 10 bucks. One is a hard case and the other soft but it will hold a tripod 4 lightstands a backdrop stand and lights.

[aerosolcheese]

Back in the day, I used to carry my light stands in a $20 keyboard bag that I got from guitar center. A,though I don't see the same one on their site, here is a similar version going for $30...
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Kaces-5K...44-i1152203.gc
I have since switched to specialized cases, but the keyboard bag did the job back in the day... I think I could fit 3 or 4 average light stands in it.

[DavidsStudio]

I've gotten more into the Bob Krist/Kirk Tuck school of thought that less is more. Both do serious work using nothing but Speedlights (both are Nikon shooters, if I remember correctly) which makes for very light traveling. The three Speedlights I travel with take up way less space than one of the smallest heads, not to mention the battery pack.

If you check out this link you can see what lighting Bob packs into a carry-on case. It even includes light stands. If you have the Nikon video that Bob and Joe McNally put out (Hands on guide to Creative Lighting, I believe is the title), Bob goes into a more detailed description of what he carries. Kirk has a book out explaining his idea of using minimal lighting gear on location. Having started using nothing but SB-800s and 900s these days for all my location stuff, I think they may be on to something.

Worried about not having enough light? Just to give you an idea of what you can do with even a single Speedlight, this image was shot at 1/250 at f/18 in pretty close to full sunlight. The SB-800 was shot at full power through a Westcott collapsible umbrella from a distance of about 8-10 feet. It was triggered using the Nikon CLS system controlled by a D700 whose exposure compensation was set at -2/3 EV. The only retouching was a little brightness and exposure adjustment in Lightroom and some eye retouching in PS.

David

[J Eddington]

Traveling Golf bag hold my 3 Alien bees Stands lights and all the "stuff".

[steveno13]

I'm using a 55 gallon Stanley rolling work box. It can hold all three of my Calumet Genesis strobes, 2 -12' light stands, 2' background light stand, 2 - 8' lightweight light stands, stool, 3 different sized 5-in-1 reflectors, 3- 7" umbrella reflectors, 2 - 46" umbrellas, 1 - 2'x3' softbox, 1 - 9"x3' striplight softbox, 2 - 7" deep grid spot reflectors, 6 grids, 8 A clamps, 100' extension cord, 25' extension cord, 9' 3 - way extension cord and a background stand set.

I just currently got it, so I still have to get it padded, but so far it's working okay. It is heavy when I have it loaded with everything, but I can still lift it myself. I'll try and take a picture of it and post it soon.

I got it from Home Depot for $70.

[steveno13]

Overall look at it(background paper on top)


Small peak inside (didn't want to take everything out)