Hold it steady

Direct flash where you want with a DIY clamp. Ali Jennings shows you how to make one

Off-camera flash is one of the most effective ways to introduce extra light into your shots. However, with one hand taken up by the camera and the other directing the light, it’s often a juggling act to get the composition and the direction of the lighting to work in harmony. The solution is to use a simple flash clamp. I converted a DIY clamp using a bolt, a few nuts and washers, a mini ball head bought for £5 on eBay, and a handy cold shoe adapter called a Frio.

Prepare the clamp

Drill a 1/4 inch hole through one of the handles of a clamp. Don’t make the hole too large because you want as little play as possible. Screw a nut onto a 1/4 inch bolt.

Add the other nuts

Add another nut, a washer, and another nut. Doing this will enable you to tighten the group under the small ball head once attached, keeping the whole unit tight.

Bolt on the Frio

Once this is secure, screw the Frio (£10/$14) directly onto the top of the head. Make sure that everything is tight and secure. The flash will now slot directly into the Frio.

Fit the bolt

Now push this bolt through the hole in the handle, then thread a washer on, then screw on the second nut. Ensure that there’s little or no movement once the nut is tight.

Attach the ball head

The ball head should have a standard 1/4 inch thread at the base. Attach it to the bolt, then adjust the group of nuts with a spanner so they sit tightly under the ball head.

Attach the flash

The clamp is now complete and ready to use. Simply use the clamp jaws to attach your flashgun to any available object, then you’re ready to shoot.