Being restricted to a lower budget doesn’t mean you can’t get amazing results when lighting a scene. I’ve seen many instances where a Director of Photography, with limited resources, shows up to a set for the first time and is expected to light it fast and beautifully. In most circumstances when this occurs, he probably has a small lighting package he must deal with to get the job done. Don’t let this happen to you! Here are three things that will up your game every time.
1) Do your homework! Don’t show up unprepared on the shooting day. Do a thorough location scout and see what you have to deal with. Spend a decent amount of time and analyze any and all factors that could make your life difficult. For example, if you were to shoot on a neighborhood street in front of a house, it’s very important to know where the sun will be at any given time of the day. What if you lose two hours of sunlight because the sun is going to be behind the house two hours before sunset? The more time you can spend on location, the better. That being said, sometimes a location scout isn’t possible. In that case, find out as much as you can about your location, such as size, indoor/outdoor, and even the color. Based on that information, prepare the best you can. Remember, any preparation, even a little, is better than no preparation.
2) Pay attention to all the possible available light you can get. This could include window light, practical light fixtures, white wall or ceilings to bounce light off of, fireplaces, etc. Anything you can do to make life easier. You should discover these during your location scout. Pay attention to things that could negatively affect you, like bland wall colors or ugly, fluorescent light fixtures.
3) Turn negative lighting into a positive. I know it sounds super cool, but I’m being totally serious. Reduce the amount of lights you use by throwing in some negative fill. It will save you time, look really nice, and cost less than a light. A black flag can often be used instead of a fill light. Place your key light slightly more frontal than you would normally. It would normally create a flattering lighting style, but when you place that negative fill as close to the subject as possible, it takes away that flatness, and becomes awesome. The effectiveness of this technique depends on a couple of variables: how tight your frame is, and, based on that, how big your flag is. If you are very close up, a smaller flag will work. The looser the frame, the larger the black flag needs to be.
Incorporating these three tips into your lighting design and your work will make a great improvement in no time. Remember: thinking ahead is key. Do the right thing.
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