Get a Grip: A Photographer's Guide to Securing Nearly Anything

On film sets, an entire department is devoted to securing lights, modifiers, and other equipment properly. Most still photographers rarely need the level of production that filmmaking demands—however, knowing which mounting and clamping tools are best suited for a particular job can greatly simplify any photographer’s life. As a bonus, many studio clamps are more or less woodworking tools with baby pins built into their design, so stocking up can also come in handy for home improvement projects. Below is an introduction to some of the common and not-so-common clamps used on photo and film sets.

A-Clamp

The first clamp most photographers encounter is the trusty A-clamp. When you are in a pinch, it provides a pinch, securing garments, reflectors, backgrounds, Foamcore, or gels with ease. As cheap as they are useful, A-clamps generally have 1-inch to 3-inch “bites.” For smaller jobs, their little sibling, the C-47, can clip delicate objects. There are also a handful of A-clamp spinoffs worth exploring, such as Wimberley’s Plamp, which attaches a 23" articulating arm with foam jaws to an A-clamp for positioning small items. Additionally, there are A-clamps with studs and receivers built in, as well as double-sided clamps for tight installs.

Super Clamps

Super Clamps are the Swiss Army knives of medium-weight rigging. Designs vary but they all share a central clamping mechanism that can grip a pole or squared edge support with the help of wedge inserts. Well suited for supporting medium-size lights, modifiers, or even cameras, super clamps may be outfitted with studs, ball joints, or grip heads. You can even combine two into a double super clamp that can be used to connect background supports or other items requiring a 90-degree offset.

Cardellini Clamps

Cardellini clamps are among the strongest yet gentlest supports on set. Their angled jaws are capable of gripping round, square, or rectangular supports, such as pipes or lumber beams. Rubber pads are incorporated into the bite of the clamp to minimize scratches and damage to sensitive surfaces like glass or acrylic. Interchangeable studs allow a variety of mounting possibilities and a screwing closure ensures a tight grip.

As simple as it is effective: the Cardellini Clamp. — As simple as it is effective: the Cardellini clamp.

Platypus Clamps

Also known as the duck bill or quacker, the platypus clamp features a specialized design for gripping and securing flat-surfaced items such as foamcore, beadboard, reflectors, or flags. A vise-type jaw and quick release speeds up working with this tool. A built-in baby pin makes it easy to secure on a stand.

C-Clamps

C-clamps are common sights in wood shops, where they are used to hold boards in place. The basic studio variant incorporates one or more baby pins so you can mount compatible lights and accessories. As is true of most clamps with small footprints, it is best to place a piece of wood wrapped in fabric between your clamp and support to distribute pressure and minimize potential damage to points of contact. Variations of the C-clamp designed for pipes and other rounded supports are also available.

Furniture Clamps

For attachments that are too long for a C-clamp, try a furniture clamp. Again, you will want to make sure to create a buffer between the grip and the surface you are securing it to. Excellent for doorways, rafters, and other wide supports, furniture clamps expand what is possible to use as a point of contact for mounting equipment.

Suction Cup Mounts

Another unique approach to securing gear in tight spaces is by using suction cup mounting. Excellent for mounting equipment on a vehicle, they require flat, non-porous surfaces to work. Far from the suction cups used for decorative trinkets, these mounts deploy pneumatic pumps or locking mechanisms to make sure they stay in place. Still, it is best to err on the side of caution and not overburden or test the environmental limitations of these mounts.

Scissor Clamps

Are you shooting on location in an office building? Scissor clamps are clever inventions that attach to drop-ceiling frames to support relatively lightweight gear. Use common sense and exercise caution when using scissor clamps so that you do not overburden the ceiling frame being used.

Chain Clamps

Chain clamps are among the more unusual tools on set, looking like the result of a vise grip, a bike chain, and a baby pin meeting in a bar one lonely night. Designed to wrap around awkward-shaped objects, chain clamps are reliable partners when facing the unknowns of location work. They are also among the best tools for rigging lights to trees, large poles, and other bulky objects.

Safety Cables

Safety cables serve as a last line of defense but should always be first on your mind when installing equipment. Typically consisting of wrapped wire and a carabiner, safety cables can be put to a variety of uses, such as stringing together other accessories when not part of an install.

Wall and Pipe Spreaders

While not technically clamps, wall and pipe spreaders are unique pieces of equipment that, when paired with a clamp, can rig lights or a camera overhead with no footprint. They can be lifesavers when working in a confined space or when trying to capture an entire room from above. The design is simple: two receiver ports snugly fit either a piece of lumber or pipe. One side features a rotating screw to adjust length for a secure fit. Ideally, you want to locate the studs in the walls you are using to avoid accidentally punching through the wall when tightening. Four screw holes are on each port so you can center and secure it to a pancake apple box to distribute the pressure. Wrap your pancake box in felt or another padded material to further protect your walls.