Lighting Outdoors

[Leelon D Scott]

Well, its shooting time again.

 

EXT. TRAIN YARD. - DAY.

 

Heres the problem, I'm a great DP in INT situations. I know how to control light, use it, and make my audience feel it, but the second I step outdoors I'm completely lost. I know what a butterfly is, I know when to use a butterfly, but I don't know how to use it. I know what a reflector is, how to use them, but my problem is when to use them. Same thing with the larger board reflectors on stands. The second I step outside and try to shoot something, everything I shoot has no contrast at all. I can't seem to take my experience and skill from indoors to outside. I'm shooting video on a DSR-250 which (in my opinion) has pretty good contrast. I want to shoot on film, but the only thing I can even begin to afford is to buy a cheep 8mm off of eBay and shoot stock from Pro8mm.com.

 

Help please?

 

-LDS

[Jonathan Bowerbank]

If it's high contrast you're going for, just don't diffuse any of the sunlight and get some duvetyne underneath your actors to cut down any bounced lighting.

 

You'll only need reflectors & bounce cards if you're trying to lower contrast, or bump up your key a bit.