lighting

[Idalina]

i usually use natural light, but i can never get a nice light at night to film. anybody have inexpensive ideas using things u have in your home without looking too orange or too artifical.

 

[unknown_user0004]

i usually use natural light, but i can never get a nice light at night to film. anybody have inexpensive ideas using things u have in your home without looking too orange or too artifical.

Lighting varies drastically by environment and the style of your videos, as well as the lighting style you're going for. The only rules of thumb are: contrast the subject from the background, and never have light behind you.

If you're careful to white-balance your camera, you shouldn't have to worry about things getting too yellow

 

[M424Filmcast]

I have a lighting tutorial on my channel if you want to check it out. If you are using incandescent lighting, you need to white balance your camera so you can avoid looking orange. Don't use fluorescent lighting or you will look green. You can always get colour correction gels pretty cheap if you want to use them on your incandescents. Make sure they are CTB and then you can do colour correction for daylight. You won't look orange, and the white balance will not make you look blue.[DOUBLEPOST=1366164046,1366163963][/DOUBLEPOST]

Lighting varies drastically by environment and the style of your videos, as well as the lighting style you're going for. The only rules of thumb are: contrast the subject from the background, and never have light behind you.

If you're careful to white-balance your camera, you shouldn't have to worry about things getting too yellow

Good points, but also remember in regards to light behind you that a rim light or hair light is sometimes necessary to separate you from your background. It will help you stand out, and it will keep you from blending into the background.

 

[unknown_user0004]

I have a lighting tutorial on my channel if you want to check it out. If you are using incandescent lighting, you need to white balance your camera so you can avoid looking orange. Don't use fluorescent lighting or you will look green. You can always get colour correction gels pretty cheap if you want to use them on your incandescents. Make sure they are CTB and then you can do colour correction for daylight. You won't look orange, and the white balance will not make you look blue.[DOUBLEPOST=1366164046,1366163963][/DOUBLEPOST]Good points, but also remember in regards to light behind you that a rim light or hair light is sometimes necessary to separate you from your background. It will help you stand out, and it will keep you from blending into the background.

Fair point. I was mostly referring to the "lemme shoot in front of a window" idea that a lot of people run into.

 

[M424Filmcast]

Fair point. I was mostly referring to the "lemme shoot in front of a window" idea that a lot of people run into.

Yeah, that is always a great way to use natural light. Usually, you will need at least a bounce board or a fill light though so you don't end up with a big shadow on one side of your face LOL

 

[Chase Butler]

China ball

 

[ThomasWoot]

amazon has some lamps for a pretty cheap amount in my opinion but otherwise i use the "lemme shoot in front of a window" as @gisikw said

 

[thejohnnyk]

Flashlights work wonders for key light. If you want to soften the field of light, so you don't have the harsh shadows that come from single source lighting, throw a piece of parchment or wax paper over the front. It usually is kept in every household and works the same as the gels that movie studios use. If you don't have that in your house, a napkin or paper towel will also work (though make sure you don't burn the paper)

For fill light you want something a little softer. Try bouncing light off of a piece of cardboard covered in tin foil or a giant white piece of foam core.

I got my BFA in Lighting Design for the Theatre, and I currently work in the film industry as a lighting grip/Lighting Director. There are lots of different ways to get the lighting you need. It is a sure fire way to take a video from amateur to professional.