Oddball Items

Just thought I'd post a list of items I've found over the years can really come in handy in a pinch.

Oddball Items To Carry With Your Camera Gear

- rubber bands or elastic hair ties
- duct tape (black preferred)
- index cards 5"x7"
- handkerchief (or 'Kleenex' tissues)
- Plain zip-loc bags (1/2gal. or gallon size)
- Zip-loc bags (sandwich size)
- Pliers
- Small pair of scissors
- Length of nylon string/cord (approx. 5 ft)
- White table cloth (double-sided with reverse side black would be ideal)


Why?

In a pinch, the index cards can be used as a flash deflector. Just secure the index card to the top of the flash unit (plain side toward the flash head) with either a rubber band, hair tie, or duct tape.

If you need a diffuser for your flash and you misplaced your normal diffuser, you can fashion a quick one from a white handkerchief or a facial tissue. Just secure either over the face of your flash with a rubber band or hair tie.

If you're outdoors doing a location shoot and the weather turns and it starts to sprinkle. You don't have to run for cover. You can fashion a quick and effective rain cover for your camera body by taking one of the large zip-lok bags (one big enough for your camera body) and cutting a hole in one face of the bag. The hole should be just slightly smaller than what is needed for your lens and positioned in the side to allow room for camera-top controls/attachments (if any) and still allow the bottom of the zip-lok bag to be securely closed (if it starts to rain a bit heavier). Stick the rear of your lens through the hole in the outside of the bag so it protrudes about an inch into the bag. Now secure the lens to the camera body. Pull the remainder of the bag over the top of the camera body so the zip-lok opening hangs below the camera. Now you're ready to continue shooting without fear of a light drizzle damaging your expensive camera body. The lens will still be exposed so it's your call as to how much rain is too much. Using a plain, clear zip-lok bag allows you to easily see all the LCD windows and controls, and to easily operate all the camera’s controls.

Sometimes the environment you’re working in requires you to use a tripod but you just can't get a really secure footing by just setting the tripod legs onto the ground's surface (the wind may be blowing, etc.). In such cases, you can use the nylon string to either anchor the tripod to something heavy underneath the tripod or to even fashion a foot noose of sorts to use your own body weight to hold the tripod securely in place.

If you shoot something or someone where you really would like to have a reflector to help fill in the shadows, but you didn't bring one with you, you can use your table cloth to serve as a reflector for you by using the white side toward the subject. Just position it and drape it over something (a tripod, chair, trashcan, bush, etc.). If the reverse side is black, you can even use it to help tone down an area of a subject rather than to add light to it. In a pinch you can even use the table cloth as a ground cover to have your subject sit or lie on while posing on the ground in order to protect their clothing.

Pliers come in handy when you have a tripod malfunction such as a crank handle breaking at the most inopportune time. You can use the pliers to turn the broken crank until you can replace the handle. Also, a pair of pliers can be so useful for any number of unforeseen circumstances.


Feel free to add some of your own "Oddball" items.