Which backlight?
 

Hi there,

I'm not a huge authority on lighting so thought I'd turn to the pro's.

We have a shoot for a dvd coming up. Just a single performer in a mid shot with a black background.

We currently have two Kaiser Videolight 4's at 2 x 1000 watt. What would be a good backlight to accompany this setup and where am I best to buy from?

Many thanks

Will any light do??? Anyone????

150w dedo or 300w arri fresnel on a dimmer

Darren,

I would suggest a focussing Fresnel spot, such as the LTM Pepper 300:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/125374-REG/LTM_PH_165F.html
But I don't know what color temperature those Kaiser Videolights are. If they are daylight balanced, then you would want a filter on the tungsten-balanced Pepper.

Ken

Hi Darren.

Since you're using Kaiser lights, I presume you're working on a very low amateur budget. In which case I would suggest using a reflector or piece of polished metal to bounce the Kaisers' light back as backlights.

It might take a bit of fiddling but is about the cheapest method available.

Hi Robert,

We tend to do more location shooting and work with a bashlight if need be. This is a DVD shoot so backlight would be helpful.

Thanks for suggestions guys!

I've always liked the Mole Richardson 200-watt baby solar spot fresnels for back/rim lights. Not sure if that's the correct term for that light. Mole Richardson has such weird names for their lights, I can't keep up. They are nice little lights that seem to put off more than 200 watts for some reason. And focusable, like all other Mole fresnels. Of course if you want a really pronounced back light, you'll have to step up to a 650 or a 1k.

As with many lighting questions, there are quite a few possible answers depending on the look one is going for.

While the traditional backlight is a fresnel as suggested above, a more subtle look can be achieved by using a soft light source which could be a fresnel or open face in a Chimera, a flo fixture or a LED source. I'll make my decisions on an individual basis, taking into account the color and quality of hair (or lack thereof--bald heads require quite a different approach)!

One of my favorites is to use a Litepanel mini on a small boom stand, positioned just a few feet above and behind the subject. Easy to reach the dimmer and I can swing the boom forward or back to achieve the desired look. A more overhead angle on the backlight results in a more natural look to the hair, where it is lit without the rim effect one gets from a backlight positioned further back.

No matter what, it's most helpful to have dimming control on the light to tweak it just so once the subject is on camera, whether it is built into the unit or plugged into an outboard dimmer.

I agree with Charles. I've totally gone to LED for the backlight. Carrying a Tungsten with a Dimmer was just too bulky. Not to mention I don't have to worry about AC cords. The LEDs are light so they are easy to boom. I use a Comer 1800. It's got a little more oomph than the Litepanels mini when you need it, especially with the focusing attachment. It also has a 3200k filter that flips in so it can't be lost.

Depending on how old they are they have different names, but I think the 200W MR's are called Midgets or Tweenies?

I've got a couple Midgets.

I use a Lowel Pro-light 250 with a snoot. It's very light and portable, easy to counterbalance on a boom and once snooted, gives you a nice narrow beam. Price is reasonable too.