Repurpose a stroller as the ultimate mobile location lighting assistant

For those of us that work solo and generally have no assistant, it’s always difficult to move around town with a lot of gear. I’ve tried pull carts, backpacks, roller bags… all work fine but still somewhat limited in my opinion and heavy.

I went on Craig’s List and found this Jogging Stroller for $40. It’s actually in great condition. I did have to replace one inner tube on one of the back tires (~$6), but other than that, it’s in fine shape.

I then went to Home Depot and found a down spout for $6 and tie wrapped it into the cart. I’ll look for something a bit more permanent over the holiday’s when I have more time. But, the concept seems to work just fine.

I have my lightstand with Profoto B1 and a 2 x 3 softbox attached. I simply slip the lightstand into the down spout…uh, I mean Lightstand Holder  and the cart moves with little effort.

Large tires make this a nice all terrain cart. My full camera bag sits where the baby used to sit. I now can carry all my prime lenses, and strobe plus a sandbag should I need to anchor my lightstand when it’s off the cart.

Also, I can extend the lightstand and use it in place. If I’m on solid ground. Just set the brake on the jogging stroller, extend the lightstand to the height I need, and I’m off.

Lower back down when I’m done with that location.

If I need to take the lightstand out of the sheath, simply lift it out of its sheath and set it up like I normally do.

So, what you do think? What other modifications can you suggest? Let us know in the comments.

About the Author

David Hall is a lifestyle and headshot photographer based in Pensacola, Florida. You can find out more about David and see his work on his website or Facebook page. Images used with permission.