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-   -   Getting started with lights, I could do with some help. (https://www.dvinfo.net/forum/photon-management/237419-getting-started-lights-i-could-do-some-help.html)

Steve Mellor June 16th, 2009 04:53 AM

Getting started with lights, I could do with some help.
 
OK, so I'm somewhat new to this and I'm trying to read posts to get ideas on what I should be using but I am totally lost.

I am breaking it down by scene. The first thing I need to shoot is a home gym. I have an idea about how I'm going to achieve this.

Black out the window.
Two lights right in front of the window (one with a 'blinds' gobo effect).
One, soft, fill light (probably a reflector actually) on the face.

Would that work? What kind of lights would be best for that.

My initial idea was to buy a set of three lights with umbrellas/soft boxes/gels etc. Now I am thinking that this won't be good enough as I also have to shoot the following locations.

Kitchen (day)
Warehouse (night)
Club (night)
Office (day)
Cellar (day)
Supermarket (night)
Street (night)
Car (day)

We are shooting in November in the UK (so it's likely to be overcast) and we were going to use day for night for the street scenes at night. The club is worrying me though, and the cellar and car (although I have got some good pointers from another thread and the car won't be moving).

Any and all advice is welcomed.

Philip Ulanowsky June 18th, 2009 02:10 PM

Lights dependent
 
The range of situations you indicate is, at least potentially, enormous in its requirements, depending on how much you will need to light and to what effect. for example, shooting in a warehouse could mean using existing practicals supplemented by local additions; vast lighting to fill the place with adequate light for, say, a medium aperture, or a very small kit to light small places within the warehouse. The budget for the lighting could run from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars.

In short, more information, please.

Richard Gooderick June 19th, 2009 01:54 AM

You are trying to do so much with so little experience or knowledge. In your shoes I would try to find someone with lighting skills to help out.

Shaun Roemich June 19th, 2009 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Mellor (Post 1159075)
One, soft, fill light (probably a reflector actually) on the face.

One light on the most important thing in the scene? Assuming you aren't also getting light from your "window side" light(s) on your subject, ICK!

Your subject is ALWAYS the most important thing in the scene and should be lit accordingly. Background and effects lights should come AFTER the fact, using what you have left.

This is the same as those "hot rodders" that put a brand new paint job with flames et al over top of a rusted out car body. Take care of the "meat and potatoes" first, then go for the "gravy".

Bill Pryor June 21st, 2009 11:35 AM

This is not a good project to learn about lighting from scratch. I agree with that second post--you should find somebody with experience. Take him to all the locations, then he can rent whatever you need for the specific location.

Max Allen June 27th, 2009 12:54 AM

There's a way to shoot with enough lights, and a way to do it with no money. If you don't have money for more lights shoot with available light, use home made reflectors, correction gels on existing lights, flashlights for background elements... I'm sure you can find many great tips in this forum. Rule of thumb with minimal lights... go for the subject and then separate them from the background. More isn't necessarily always better.


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