Golden morning sunlight - bedroom scene

Jabril Muse · February 25, 2010

Hi all,

I have a music video shoot next month and wanted a particular look for a scene in the bedroom.

If you look at the image below. A pleasant medium between the top two images is what I'm looking for. The last four frames is exactly what I'm looking for. Tanned golden skin and beautiful golden sunlight spilling into the room.

However, the shoot will be in London, not so great for sun. And it will be in the below room.

http://londonhotelsinsight.com/wp-content/...Guest-Rooms.jpg

The sheets we would be able to change to suit the look but everything else is set. Also we have no access to the outside of the window so all light will have to be within the room.

Please advise on how to create this look - particularly how to sell the sunlight is real on head on shot (may be some light half concealed behind the curtain). I'm very interested in the details - type of lighting, how many, where would they be located, shadows, gels, any use for reflectors...etc

Morning gold is the theme http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1386/106182..._d116d96dc3.jpg

As if the room could be mistaken for a luxury Italian hotel.

I would very much appreciate your professional input.

Thank you very much!

Jabril

Jabril Muse · February 26, 2010

Hi All!

Just a quick update -

Not really looking for a full comprehensive breakdown of how it might be done - if you can provide one then by all means please do!

But if you have any input on any particular part please let me know. Any tips and tricks, ideas or suggestions would be most appreciated!

Thanks again!

Jabril

Nick Centera · March 9, 2010

Hey, not sure if you actually want to see the window with the "sunlight" coming through, but from looking at the room in the image, you could probably cheat the bed away from the window a bit more then put up a 5k gelled with 1/2 or full CTO (depending on how intense you want the sunrise to be) then have it bounced into a silk. That would give the whole room that golden feel.

As for actually seeing the sun, you could try to get some 2nd Unit footage somewhere else (where you could get the warm sunrise feel). Hopefully this helps or gives a basis to go off of.

Nick

Mathew Rudenberg · March 9, 2010

Hi All!

Just a quick update -

Not really looking for a full comprehensive breakdown of how it might be done - if you can provide one then by all means please do!

But if you have any input on any particular part please let me know. Any tips and tricks, ideas or suggestions would be most appreciated!

Thanks again!

Jabril

Your question is a little holistic, there are many ways to achieve the effect you want, and many DPs would try different ones.

In the 4 images you reference there is a color contrast between the cool ambient daylight and the warm 'sunlight.' If it is cloudy when you shoot this will work in your favor.

You could set your white balance to about 4500K so the outside is blueish and use uncorrected tungsten lights which will than be warm and golden. You would have to take a look at this option and see if you like it. If so you could use low level daylight balanced fill and key and edge with a harder tungsten source (this looks to be roughly what they have done in your references)

Your biggest obstacle will be that you cannot light through the window so you will have to 'cheat' where the sun is coming from by bringing the 'sunlight' in from just out if frame. You may want to put some translucent curtains up and hit them with some bright warm lights (from inside the room) to help sell the illusion that the sun is setting outside.

Lorenzo Levrini · March 13, 2010

If I was shooting this I would really want to see the curtains hit by that golden sunlight. I would cheat the size of the room to be smaller and put up some curtains with your lighting units behind. You would have to shoot relatively tight - any wide shots and the fake curtains would be obvious. I can't think of a way to see the sun directly but seeing the curtains bathed in that light would really sell the look.

Shooting in London, you are most likely going to have an overcast day, which is ideal - you won't have to worry about the light outside changing during the course of the day.

Jabril Muse · March 22, 2010

Hi All,

Thanks for all the input. Really appreciated it!

The shoot was done on Saturday and thought I'd share the results and possibly get feedback. Firstly, I had no DP for the shoot (budget constraints) so I did everything myself based on your suggestions. Secondly, no colour correction has been applied and it was shot on a rainy day . Finally, this is the equipment used - shot on Panasonic Lumix GH1 with Nikon prime lenses (they really flared big time! maybe because I didn't use a matte box), 2.5K gelled with 1/4 CTO and sometimes bounced into silk.

I use a Nikon adaptor that allows me to easily play with the aperture so I was really generous with the exposure.

Here are a couple stills from the shoot - as you guys warned it was hard to get wide shot and make the light source look real, while having the setup inside the room. BUT not impossible if you really burn out the curtains.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46503594@N04/...in/photostream/

This is my second shoot and I'm trying to learn and do as much as possible so all feedback is welcomed! Thank you.